At Hendricks Regional Health, we understand that the everyday steps we take to prevent infection truly matter to the people who depend on us. We’re dedicated to maintaining a clean, comfortable, and safe environment because it’s an essential part of how we care for our patients and their families.
To reduce the spread of MRSA, we follow evidence‑based practices designed to prevent, identify, isolate, and limit transmission:
- A seven‑step cleaning procedure, using disinfectants approved by the Hendricks Infection Prevention and Control Committee, is used across all hospital settings to clean and disinfect surfaces, remove trash, and refresh linens.
- In higher‑traffic or higher‑risk areas, this protocol is enhanced with:
- Clorox Total 360 Electrostatic Disinfectant Sprayer in spaces such as patient waiting rooms
- Continuous ATP swab testing to monitor cleaning effectiveness throughout our facilities
- UV light technology is used in operating rooms and other areas to provide an added level of disinfection assurance.
- Environment of Care rounds are conducted regularly by the Risk Manager, Infection Preventionist, and Support Services leaders to ensure hospital spaces meet cleanliness standards.
- We test for MRSA in high‑risk areas and isolate patients who test positive to protect others. For patients who are carriers, we use antiseptic creams or washes to help lower the risk of infection.
- Our approach also includes using dedicated isolation rooms, ensuring all healthcare workers and caregivers follow contact and isolation precautions, and thoroughly disinfecting patient rooms and equipment.
- After a patient is discharged from an isolation room, the room is carefully cleaned and checked to ensure it is safe. We confirm the cleaning through visual checks and specialized ATP testing, giving confidence that the room is thoroughly clean for the next patient.
- We provide ongoing education for our healthcare teams and conduct regular audits to ensure these practices are followed consistently.