Survey
- Response:13% in 54 countries
- HAI (4-21%) reported with: Clostridium difficile, Norovirus, MRSA,
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella species and Acinetobacter baumannii
- Majority never searched for bedpans as a potential source
- Manual handling is done (65%)
- ISO15883 is known in northwest Europe (76%) in the rest of the world (14-37%)
Visits
- Diapers and urine catheter as replacement for bedpans is regular done
- Nurses, nurse aids, relatives and others do the job without training ‘how to’
- Personal Protective Equipment is seldom used
- Bedpans without covers are transported to a toilet or slobhopper
- Manual empty of the content with (bloody) faeces causing splashes and splatters
- Regular only ‘cleaning’ by rinsing or spraying with cold water
- Disinfection without attention for the right product, duration and prior cleaning
- Not well equipped sluice rooms
- Macerators or WD are not maintained or validated
Experience exchange
Nurses and physicians seldom look after the process and are glad that it is brought to their attention. Most WD or macerators are often malfunctioning or unused. No available guidelines for bedpan management.