Custodial Staff & Biohazards

[blackboxwarning]

During clinical, a patient urinated (some blood) in the hall while being transported. My instructor stayed with the spill, and I flagged down a custodian (because we're not given access to their supply closet, and I was supposed to accompany the patient). She told me that custodial staff isn't allowed to clean up a biohazard, and that it was the nurses' responsibility. My instructor (who also works at the facility) said that this was news to her and must be a new policy.

I don't mind to clean up any kind of fluids, but there was something about this scenario that didn't seem right. I assumed that hospital custodial staff had received training on bodily fluids and had access to the appropriate chemicals.

Is this the policy at your hospital? How do custodians flip rooms/clean toilets? If someone vomits in the ER waiting room, are you really going to page a nurse?

[Sour Lemon]

During clinical, a patient urinated (some blood) in the hall while being transported. My instructor stayed with the spill, and I flagged down a custodian (because we're not given access to their supply closet, and I was supposed to accompany the patient). She told me that custodial staff isn't allowed to clean up a biohazard, and that it was the nurses' responsibility. My instructor (who also works at the facility) said that this was news to her and must be a new policy.

I don't mind to clean up any kind of fluids, but there was something about this scenario that didn't seem right. I assumed that hospital custodial staff had received training on bodily fluids and had access to the appropriate chemicals.

Is this the policy at your hospital? How do custodians flip rooms/clean toilets? If someone vomits in the ER waiting room, are you really going to page a nurse?

I've only worked at three hospitals (in two different states), but that's been the policy at all three. Floor staff (nurses, CNAs) clean the initial "mess". Housekeeping simply disinfects afterwards.

[elkpark]

That is what I'm used to, also. Nursing staff does the actual cleaning up of "material" (whatever it may be), housekeeping comes along and mops with disinfectant after the coast is clear.

[Davey Do]

I'll be darned! I did not know that!

I've just always cleaned up the mess because it takes several hours to get "Environmental Services" to do anything!