In these days of the coronavirus, hand-washing is huge and touching common surfaces is warned against like never before. But what about locations where people with viruses gather, such as hospitals, or doctors’ offices? What about the technology in use at those locations, what’s the best way to disinfect things such as printers?
Lincoln-based Zebra Technologies makes printers designed specifically for health care facility use. Providence Business News spoke with Chrissy Holden, a senior manager in the company’s Special Printing Group.
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PBN: What are the most common situations in health care where Zebra printers are used?
HOLDEN: Our mobile and desktop printers are most commonly used in patient–care environments. The printers can be used to create patient wristbands, specimen labels, or in pharmacies, for example.
PBN: In light of the coronavirus, what would you recommend as a disinfecting schedule for shared hospital devices such as printers?
HOLDEN: The frequency of cleaning devices varies according to where the device is used. Devices used in patient rooms, for example, should be cleaned after each patient visit to prevent the spread of infection. Hospital laboratories already have very strict guidelines in place for the cleaning and disinfection of equipment.
PBN: How should staff clean health care mobile and desktop printers?
HOLDEN: It’s not enough to just clean the glass components or the surfaces of buttons. Hospitals, ambulances, pharmacies and any other health care institutions must thoroughly disinfect the plastic parts, such as the housing, as well as the nooks and crannies to prevent the transmission of contagions. Wiping down a device is not always enough.
Even when fingerprints are cleaned from a device, the surface may still be covered with bacteria, so unless the right cleaning agent has been used, it may not necessarily be completely disinfected to use in the current environment. When finished cleaning printers or any other device, it’s extremely important to change gloves before handling it again to avoid re-contaminating the device.
PBN: What is one myth that circulates on cleaning printers when it comes to germ transmission?
HOLDEN: The most common myth is that all printers can withstand repeated disinfectant procedures. The fact is that not all devices are created equal, so refer to the user guide to confirm which cleaning agents are safe to use. Some harsh cleaning agents can cause cracks and breaks in device housings, which can create a dangerous breeding ground for germs.
Our health care printers are built with rugged, UV-resistant plastics [and are] designed and … tested to withstand regular cleaning with all major hospital cleaning agents, including alcohol, ammonium, bleach and hydrogen peroxide.
PBN: What would a good device-cleaning company policy look like?
HOLDEN: It is recommended that hospitals and health care organizations implement a device-cleaning policy as soon as possible using original suppliers’ guidelines. This will help ensure that employees are properly disinfecting mobile computers, scanners and printers regularly.
In addition, it will reassure third parties that everything has been taken into consideration to help prevent shared technology devices from becoming a potential source of virus transmission. It is important to implement precautions and best practices for handling devices during the cleaning process so that all staff are fully aligned and better protected.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
