Care and Maintenance of Medical Trolleys

In all medical settings, the health of the healthcare workers and that of the patients is very important. If no proper care and maintenance of the medical equipment such as the medical trolleys is done, the health care centers can be a source of infections instead of putting an end to different types of diseases. It is not surprising to find some medical facilities having their trolleys and carts in unpleasant conditions such as being wrapped up with tapes or being covered with dirt. Any particular medical trolley should be as clean as possible to prevent the spread of illnesses. Should the trolleys get worn out to an extent that they cannot provide further service, it is important that replacements be done as quickly as possible. This is important since if the trolleys are in miserable conditions, they are posing danger to the persons using them as well as other medical equipment and machinery that they might be holding. Moreover, a procedure trolley that looks clean and in good condition is pleasant to patients and their families. They also deliver a promise of faster recovery, unlike when they are in miserable conditions.

All care equipment should be disinfected regularly. X-ray trolleys are particularly used for high procession medical care and hence can be a source of illnesses if not properly disinfected. Most pathogens find their survival environments on organic matter such as soil and liquids, hence these factors should be kept as far as possible from the medical equipment suppliers. Should there be a point where patients’ body fluids such as vomits or sweat come into contact with the trolleys, they should be cleaned and disinfected immediately before they are subjected for use on other patients. 
The three most important process of care for the trolleys is disinfection, cleaning and sterilization. Cleaning should be done first before disinfection and sterilization and should be done to remove any traces of liquids or other organic matters on the equipment. The method of cleaning is also depended with the type of trolley in question. For instance, carts used to hold medical equipment such as the electrocardiography or the ultrasound machines should not be cleaned with water to prevent chances of spillages on the machines. Cleaning basically should involve removal of the foreign matter or cleaning with a piece of clothing to wipe out dust or fluids. 
Disinfection should be done using appropriate disinfectant chemicals to destroy the pathogens. Disinfection should however be used in cases where heat treatment is impractical, otherwise heat treatment should always be used to disinfect the pathogens. This method of disinfection is very effective in destroying bacterial spores which might not be destroyed by chemical treatment. 
Sterilization on its part destroys all forms of micro-organisms that can cause diseases, either through chemical or physical process. Sterilization is properly achieved by using steam under high pressure, using dry heat or chemical sterilizers. 
Every health facility ought to have infection control policies and persons to monitor whether the policies are being followed by all medical practitioners. These and many more care and maintenance tips are among the select medical practices that can help prolong the period of service as well as keeping patients and workers free from infections.