These just seems so gross to me - Page 6

This isn't about environmental health. It's squeezing a few extra pennies out of the bottom line at the expense of patient safety.

^ Agreed. If we are reducing, reusing, and recycling bedpans I would much rather they return to autoclaving metal bedpans vs. a group bath of plastic ones.

Yes, what you should really do is find out what material they are made of, and what disinfectant (if any) is safe to use on the product without breaking it down.

Im getting a bit confused in this thread. Are we talking about the pink or blue plastic bed pans? If so..how often are you thowing them away. At our place, they are per resident and are thrown out when the resident is discharged or they get super nasty or old. Same thing with urinals...when they are dumped out, they should be rinsed with water and a squirt of soap and water. Why would you need to boil it? If you are using bleach to clean, that should help with any smells or stains from the urine.

Most LTCs still use cloth rags for peri care. Waaaay cheaper than disposables and I think they clean better.

You've all peaked my interest in how facilty cleans these...might need to post the question in the LTC forum since it deals with longer term patients and longer use of supplies like the bed pans etc.

Thanks

We used cloth briefs, too (as well as disposable).
No briefs at night.
Cloth chux.
Crisco for moisture barrier.
No decubes.

did we go to the same nursing school?... :d

My god, they are disinfecting and reusing bedpans. It's not like they are using the bedpans for cereal bowls. Does everyone throw away the towels after they use them? Do you throw your hands away after you wipe yourself? I'm willing to bet that those bedpans are 100% more clean than the employee's hands. At least the bedpans get washed occasionally.

Bedpans don't have to be sterile, just clean.