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So, with the LOLs above, it looks like this is a problem everywhere!
Our policy changes. Right now CNAs are to remove any visible matter...crumbs etc from meals. I think housekeeping has a rotating schedule for deep cleaning them. We used to have 11-7 cnas clean them too. As for the lifts...I don't really know.
The SNF I used to work at had the 3-11 aides clean wheelchairs each night (just wipe them off with the sani wipe when they put the patient in bed) the lifts were wiped down by the 11-7 aides. Not sure what repercussions were as I never had to deal with that end of it. If the chair was visibly soiled it had to be cleaned immediately regardless of shift for obvious reasons.
Most of the nursing homes in the large city where I live utilize an equipment sanitation service to come in and clean the wheelchairs once weekly.How often does you facility require cleaning of wheelchairs and lifts? Are your aides documenting this consistently and honestly? Any repercussions for not documenting?
The aides leave the wheelchairs in the hallway outside the residents' doors. The cleaning service staff grabs the wheelchairs, sanitizes them outside, them returns them where they found them.
Our night CNA's used to clean chairs based on a schedule of a few rooms a night for each unit. Since housekeeping took over that duty I am reasonably sure the chairs rarely if ever get cleaned as the residents are usually in said chairs when housekeeping is working. If we see an obviously soiled chair at night we will clean it in the shower. Our lifts have never been on the cleaning schedule so who knows when [if ever] they actually get cleaned.
punkdmm, BSN, RN
29 Posts
How often does you facility require cleaning of wheelchairs and lifts? Are your aides documenting this consistently and honestly? Any repercussions for not documenting?