Infection control
from storage tanks, pipe work, taps or fittings.
As an article published in Nursing
Times online recently discussed, care home residents share air, space, food and equipment, so they also share organisms that can easily cause infection outbreaks, such as viruses and bacteria. They are also more prone and vulnerable to infections, which can lead to death. The article also stated that care home staff should be adequately trained to prevent, detect and manage an outbreak of infectious disease and care homes should have an outbreak plan ready to minimise the number of people affected and the harm done in this eventuality.4 Having plans in place for controlling outbreaks helps minimise the distress caused to residents should they occur - particularly if visitors have to be restricted - and can assist support staff by reducing additional workloads. The Department of Health guidelines on the prevention and control of infection in care homes, highlights this: “Hand hygiene is widely acknowledged to be the single most important activity that reduces the spread of infection. Yet evidence suggests that many care workers do not decontaminate their hands when required nor use the correct technique. “Hand hygiene should be performed immediately before and after every episode of direct person contact and after any activity or contact that could potentially result in hands becoming contaminated.”5
Hand hygiene facilities that include, at a minimum, a hand wash basin with hot and cold water (preferably via a mixer tap), liquid soap and disposable paper towels, should be available and easily accessible. A lack of or inappropriate facilities should be brought to the attention of the registered provider or manager of the care home who has a duty of care to ensure that there are adequate facilities and materials available to prevent cross infection within the home.5 The use of portable sinks can help control infection outbreaks by supporting isolated residents and providing back-up support for existing hand washing facilities as well as being used in rest or reception areas by visitors and staff. As they can be placed at point of need, they are also ideal for residents who may have restricted mobility, allowing them and staff access to warm water in their rooms. They are easy for less able residents to use as they are activated by a sensor and are safe to use as the warm water shuts off automatically after the cycle has completed. It is worth noting that as the
sinks dispense warm water at a controlled temperature that is within the HSE guidelines, there is no risk of scalding.6 The tactical use of portable sinks can also help to ensure that critical water supply is not interrupted when maintenance is planned. A number of sink units can be ordered for the period required and positioned close to existing bathroom or toilet areas or inside washrooms for as long as necessary. This means that even large buildings can stay open and run as normal. This also applies when unforeseen circumstances occur and water is shut off without warning. Portable sinks can be supplied quickly, often at short notice and used until the normal water supply can be reinstated.
Conclusion
As pressure mounts on budgets, the use of high quality portable sink units can assist by adding facilities without significant expenditure. They can also allow short term expansion to cope with unexpected demand, convert non- plumbed areas for controlling infection outbreaks or for supporting areas, such as reception halls, that have no access to washrooms.
Having portable sinks as part of the care package available in a care home can offer reassurance to residents and family members that managers are thinking ahead and most importantly that they are thinking about the potential risks to residents. They can also offer some independence to residents who may be less mobile by giving them easy access to safe, temperature controlled warm water as well as helping support staff who are providing individual care right where they are needed.
Just as importantly they offer a visible reminder and call to action for residents and visitors that regular hand washing with soap and water will help safeguard the health of everyone in the building. TCHE
March 2020 •
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com
References 1. Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention. Norovirus Worldwide. [
www.cdc.gov/norovirus/trends- outbreaks/
worldwide.html].
2. NHS England. NHS warning as winter vomiting bug closes 1,000 hospital beds. News, 5 December 2019. [
www.england.nhs.uk].
3. NHS. Norovirus (vomiting bug). [
www.nhs.uk/conditions/norovirus/].
4. Curran ET. Infection outbreaks in care homes: prevention and management. Nursing Times [online] 2017; 113: 9, 18-21. [
www.nursingtimes.net].
5. Department of Health and Social Care, Public Health England. (2013) Care Homes: Infection prevention and control. Information resource for care home workers about preventing and controlling infection in care homes. Available from:
https://tinyurl.com/osfy9ob
6. Health & Safety Executive. Scalding and Burning. [
www.hse.gov.uk/
healthservices/
scalding-burning.htm].
Chris Whieldon
Chris Whieldon is sales director at Teal patents Ltd, which specialises in designing and developing portable hot water sinks and basins and has been supplying them since 1959.
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