Do You Sanitize Your Pulse Ox?

[emtfarva]

Immediately after the equipment and supply check and inventory, the next hour of each shift is spent completely cleaning and sanitizing the unit, inside and out. Doesn't matter to me what condition the previous crew left it in. It's still going to get a complete overhaul from me as soon as I come on shift.

Something that has been quite obvious to me is that, those with a microbiological education happily jump right into the cleaning effort without argument. Those without it want to argue and whine the whole time about how "it's good enough".

A lot of agencies have a policy that the off-going crew is supposed to leave the truck clean. Nonsense. YOU are responsible for the equipment you are using, not someone who isn't even on shift anymore. It has been the policy of any agency that I have managed that the oncoming crew is to perform this function, not the off-going crew. If I find a problem with the unit during shift, it is that crew who is responsible, not some guys who have been home for four hours already.

That is a very good idea. I think that the off-going crew should wash the outside, and the on-coming crew should do the inside. I would also instill that after every call the truck get a quick but complete clean down.

 

[medic417]

Immediately after the equipment and supply check and inventory, the next hour of each shift is spent completely cleaning and sanitizing the unit, inside and out. Doesn't matter to me what condition the previous crew left it in. It's still going to get a complete overhaul from me as soon as I come on shift.

Something that has been quite obvious to me is that, those with a microbiological education happily jump right into the cleaning effort without argument. Those without it want to argue and whine the whole time about how "it's good enough".

A lot of agencies have a policy that the off-going crew is supposed to leave the truck clean. Nonsense. YOU are responsible for the equipment you are using, not someone who isn't even on shift anymore. It has been the policy of any agency that I have managed that the oncoming crew is to perform this function, not the off-going crew. If I find a problem with the unit during shift, it is that crew who is responsible, not some guys who have been home for four hours already.

At least an hour on a normal day cleaning but if I find blood I will empty every cabinet. I get OCD about it. I do not want to pick up something and find body fluids.

The crew leaving needs to leave it clean and ready to roll. But the oncoming needs to reclean. Double the cleaning the less likely we miss something. Oncoming crew needs to check every item of the ambulance. If the previous crew failed to restock a major item restock it and chew them out. They do it again you write them up. Missing one bandage just restock it. Oncoming crew is responsible for the unit once they sign off that it is properly stocked and cleaned.

 

[AJ Hidell]

I think that the off-going crew should wash the outside, and the on-coming crew should do the inside. I would also instill that after every call the truck get a quick but complete clean down.

Kinda mixed feelings on the exterior wash. I agree that the off-going crew is in a better position for this. If they get their pretty white shirts dirty and sweaty in the process, it's not a big deal, unlike the on-coming crew. The problem I have run into is that the off-going crew never has the same standard of cleanliness that I do, so I end up re-doing it anyhow.

It also depends on whether this is a "System Status Management" (SSM) agency, where crews are on the road all day, or whether they are based out of a station. If you have a home station, then washing your vehicle becomes a lot easier proposition. If you are on the road right up to the point that you turn your truck over to the next crew, it makes it a little harder to accomplish. That should obviously be taken into consideration when setting policy.

At one agency, which was SSM, they had a pressure washer at the office where shift changes took place. So people get back to that office with only a few minutes to go before they are supposed to go off duty. How good a job do you expect those people will do on cleaning the truck when every minute they spend on it keeps them from going home? And can you blame them? Rarely was the truck clean. It was just wet. They'd spray it down and call it "washed". I'd rather have a dirty truck than a dirty truck with water spots all over it. Just leave it. Go home to your family. Let me do it right. Problem was, very few people would ever reciprocate that favor, so I'd be stuck washing the truck twice a shift and getting off late every day. That's why it is so important to think your policies through intelligently and not just do what you've always done before without any solid reasoning.

 

[bandcamper]

Do we sanitize our Pulse OX?

After every run we sanitize everything, blood pressure cuff, pulse ox, stethoscope, benches, lead wires, cot, floor, we treat it as if we had just had someone in there with MRSA,,,,so yes its clean...

 

[pdibsie]

Kinda mixed feelings on the exterior wash. I agree that the off-going crew is in a better position for this. If they get their pretty white shirts dirty and sweaty in the process, it's not a big deal, unlike the on-coming crew. The problem I have run into is that the off-going crew never has the same standard of cleanliness that I do, so I end up re-doing it anyhow.

This is one big reason I like working on the EMS division of a fire dept. The crew being relieved always gets up early and cleans the station and outside of vehicles very well. I make a point to pick up after myself when I'm getting off and we do a good job cleaning inside after calls, but when I get on in the mornings I make sure my work environment is cleaned by me.

 

[Ridryder911]

This is one big reason I like working on the EMS division of a fire dept. The crew being relieved always gets up early and cleans the station and outside of vehicles very well. I make a point to pick up after myself when I'm getting off and we do a good job cleaning inside after calls, but when I get on in the mornings I make sure my work environment is cleaned by me.

It would be nice, but usually my off going crew has had maybe 1-2 hours of sleep in 24 hours. Not nice to wake the bears...

 

[JPINFV]

Immediately after the equipment and supply check and inventory, the next hour of each shift is spent completely cleaning and sanitizing the unit, inside and out. Doesn't matter to me what condition the previous crew left it in. It's still going to get a complete overhaul from me as soon as I come on shift.

Dude, any chance I can work with you then? I've gotten so cynical over my partners that I don't even ask if they want to clean the truck. I just shrug my shoulders and go pull everything out and clean it myself since it isn't worth the hassle of negotiating a time with my partner to go do it. Knowing the people I work with, I'm slightly dreading the cleanliness and tidiness of the main unit at my current job for when I go back to work in a week.


The cleanliness discussion reminds me of a pearl of wisdom that I got off of some emergency medicine show (not sure if it was Paramedics or Trauma). One of the focuses of that episode focused on a HEMS unit where the crew said that they clean their aircraft top to bottom, inside or out every shift. After all, what better way to inspect the air worthiness of the unit than getting up close and personal cleaning it?

 

[l14capri]

yeah--don't our patients expect our equipment to be cleaned?

 

[JPINFV]

Our patients also expect us to have more than a few weeks worth of training, but I digress.

 

[AJ Hidell]

Dude, any chance I can work with you then? I've gotten so cynical over my partners that I don't even ask if they want to clean the truck. I just shrug my shoulders and go pull everything out and clean it myself since it isn't worth the hassle of negotiating a time with my partner to go do it.

Reminds me of one interesting shift I ran many years ago. I was working with a guy I had never worked with before, and I didn't know anything about him. He was the senior medic. We came on shift, met up and introduced ourselves, then I headed out to the truck to inspect, inventory, and clean it. I didn't see this guy for the next two hours. He was in the station the whole time watching TV and socializing with the firefighters. About the time I finish the duties, we catch a couple of runs. Around lunch time, a supervisor pulls me aside at the hospital and says my partner is complaining that I'm an anti-social jerk? I'm like, "Huh? How could he think I'm a jerk? We've hardly talked all day!" The supervisor said, "That's the problem! He says you completely disappeared this morning until you started catching runs, and nobody knew where you were!" When I explained that I had been in the ambulance that entire time, doing all the chores myself, the partner got written up, lol. Lesson here is, if you're going to complain about someone, you better have your own affairs in order first!

 

[triemal04]

The crew leaving needs to leave it clean and ready to roll. But the oncoming needs to reclean. Double the cleaning the less likely we miss something. Oncoming crew needs to check every item of the ambulance. If the previous crew failed to restock a major item restock it and chew them out. They do it again you write them up. Missing one bandage just restock it. Oncoming crew is responsible for the unit once they sign off that it is properly stocked and cleaned.

Bingo. Hold both accountable for any problems; if the ambulance is found dirty/missing items at the beginning of the shift, the off-going crew has some explaining to do. Course, when it's found the same way halfway through the shift, it's on on-duty crew that gets nailed. Only placing the responsibility on 1 crew just seems like a good way for people to get into a habit of not cleaning and/or restocking and half-assing it when they do.

 

[EmsPrincess*]

Kind of disgusting that people wouldn't sanitize everything used on patients. I can't imagine re-using these things on people with different circumstances. Yuck!

 

[epi1mg]

Pathogens from the hospital, ambulance, and patient's home can also contaminate your boots. I like to wipe down my boots with an antiseptic wipe when I complete my shift.

I starting do this after I was called to a patient's home where the rug was covered with cat litter, and the patient had a problem with uncontrolled diarrhea on the bedroom rug.

 

[BossyCow]

Also a good idea for vollies to remember that you not only track home stuff that can infect your family but your pets. Watch where you put your feet, always.

 

[medic417]

Also a good idea for vollies to remember that you not only track home stuff that can infect your family but your pets. Watch where you put your feet, always.

What us professionals do not deserve a reminder of this as well?

 

[PapaBear434]

What us professionals do not deserve a reminder of this as well?

I am more upset by the implications that vollies are the only ones absent minded enough not to know that. I keep a bottle of bleach water in my car and spray down my boots after every shift before I get in my car.

Dumb is dumb, and knows no professional or volunteer barriers.

 

[medic417]

I am more upset by the implications that vollies are the only ones absent minded enough not to know that. I keep a bottle of bleach water in my car and spray down my boots after every shift before I get in my car.

Dumb is dumb, and knows no professional or volunteer barriers.

It is sad that she did attack the volunteers now that I think of it your way. While I don't think there is a need for volunteers anymore I do not attack their intelligence.

 

[VentMedic]

It is sad that she did attack the volunteers now that I think of it your way. While I don't think there is a need for volunteers anymore I do not attack their intelligence.

Since BossyCow is a volunteer I seriously doubt if SHE would be attacking them. She is probably just reminding them since she is looking out for their best interests...as always.

Volunteers may leave whatever they are doing to go to a scene. Since they may go to more than one scene each day and return to their POV each time, it could be easy to forget about the shoes.

After 30 years, I have yet to wear my scrubs or flight suit when not on the job. I am totally disgusted by any healthcare worker that goes grocery shopping in uniform after a shift of patient care.

 

[medic417]

Since BossyCow is a volunteer I seriously doubt if SHE would be attacking them. She is probably just reminding them since she is looking out for their best interests...as always.

Volunteers may leave whatever they are doing to go to a scene. Since they may go to more than one scene each day and return to their POV each time, it could be easy to forget about the shoes.

After 30 years, I have yet to wear my scrubs or flight suit when not on the job. I am totally disgusted by any healthcare worker that goes grocery shopping in uniform after a shift of patient care.

There was a study many years ago about the germs, bacteria, whatever found on items not washed regularly like doctors ties and lab coats. Those things were disgusting. Wish I could find that study.

 

[Sasha]

its sad people are just looking for reasons to get offended.