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Tip of the week: A checklist can help ensure proper cleaning of IV pumps

Infection Control Monitor, July 20, 2007

It's often helpful to make a checklist including the steps outlined by the manufacturer to ensure that the proper protocol is followed each time when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting IV pumps, says Joan M. Wideman, MS, MT (ASCP), SLS, CIC, owner of JMW Consulting, LLC, in Clawson, MI. Be certain that your policies and procedures also spell out a process for cleaning the IV pump stand and wheels. People often pay a lot of attention to the pump, but very little attention to the stand and wheels, she says.

Selecting the appropriate cleaning products for the stand is important, because using the wrong substances can corrode or pit the surface, making it porous and thus impossible to clean effectively, says Wideman.

To learn more about preventing infections from IV pumps, go to www.hcpro.com/content/72830.cfm. The cost is $10. Briefings on Infection Control subscribers received this story with their subscriptions.

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