Not for the first time, inspectors have found evidence of poor hygiene and safety practice at Ninewells hospital.
In its entirety that need not concern us, but one section of the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) report, abstracted by a local newspaper report, reveals:
Inspectors found there was “poor compliance” with procedures for managing sharp objects such as needles, with bins for them contaminated with blood on the outside. Two were overfilled and the HEI said NHS Tayside must address the problem to cut the risk of injury and infection to patients, staff and visitors.In all, inspectors found 4 sharps bins in use having blood splashed on their external surfaces. But that ins not surprising. Blood on the outside of sharps bins, and in the vicinity where they stand is to be anticipated. It requires care in use, and effective cleaning of the area around, underneath and behind the sharps bins, but not of the bins themselves.
To do any more would itself be hazardous and should be avoided. But to change a large sharps bin after one use, when a splash of blood appears around its neck or on some other surface, is equally wrong. How to prevent, avoid, or reduce this soiling is the important question. Likewise inspectors, and cleaners too, must look around the sharps bin, as splashes appearing on the bin itself inevitably point to contamination of the wider area, with blood and with pharmaceutical residues.
We at Blenkharn Environmental and at the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum have been banging on about this for several years, including this issue in our research and teaching, in our audits and inspections, and in publication (below). It is a common and widespread problem to which their is no immediate and easy resolution.
Blenkharn JI. Blood splashes around sharps bins: hygiene failures in the clinical environment? International Journal of Hospital Environment and Hygiene Management 2012;1:1-9