MidNiteRaver

I was recently asked by an OR nurse what disinfecting solutions would I recommend for the cleaning and disinfection of the operating room as she felt that the method that was being used at her hospital was outdated and may not be up-to-date with the disinfecting solutions available today and good practice. I did a little browsing and found some information that had me too concerned. I found some recommendations including "bleach" as a solution . My limited knowledge of bleach is that it has no place in an operating room, regardless of the concentration. Sure it does a good job of being an effective kill but micro organisms are not the only things it kills very well. It kills all your equipment just as efficiently, regardless of how much you dilute it. From stainless steel to plastics, OR tables to anesthetic machines, all start to pit and corrode away once bleach is introduced. Phenols seems to be out too especially where pediatrics are concerned. I was wondering what other hospitals are using to disinfect their operating rooms. At the start of the day, between cases and at the end of the day, after infectious cases? I was looking at such products as Cavicide, both the wipes and solutions and wondering if this is suitable for use in the OR? It seems to cover all the bases. Is formaldehyde still used? Are some still using foggers? It would be great if we could get a thread with information from various members on what their institutions use, used, issues, etc., both in the OR and throughout the hospital (area specific).

Littman Classic II SE is good but the truth is most other manufactures have caught up long ago. Littman's is now not much more than a name, though you know what you are getting as it's an established name. So for the folks that don't test and research then by all means buy 3M Littman. However for acoustics, style and comfort I have found quite a few that meet or exceed the standard offered by Littman. This includes the from Dual Head stethoscope from W.A. Baum. DO NOT get a Welch Allyn what ever you do. They appear great, packaging and presentation, but are bad. Loads of defects have plagued their units such as their binaural tubing weeping oil from its polymer and the rest of the unit generally falls apart in a short time. Keep one thing clearly in mind though when you decide to whip out your dollars. Most folk's stethoscopes go missing or get damages in a short time, so though there are those who must have a "name brand" to make a statement (or compensate ) for the commonsense ones of us, my advise is to check the one from folks like W.A. Baum and skip the Littman and Welch Allyn. At these prices you may be able to buy two for the price of the Littman.