Ideas That Work: Every Inch

If it’s a chore to get everyone on board with helping to keep your facility clean, schedule “cleaning parties” during times when no surgeries are scheduled. During these dedicated cleaning days at our eye surgery center, several staff members in each department — pre-op, PACU, OR and sterile processing — clean their areas from top to bottom. They remove mattresses from stretcher chairs and wipe down every surface, open up recliners in the recovery area to clean in the crevices and move shelving units to cover every square inch of floor space. The departmental cleaning is done monthly and usually doesn’t take more than an hour to complete. Staff in each area sign off that they’ve completed their assigned tasks. It’s a great way to make sure they’re responsible and accountable for keeping their spaces clean.

Carson McCafferty, MSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM, CSRN
Eye 35 ASC
Schertz, Texas
[email protected]