This document provides guidance on the care of various items used in hospitals, including linens, rubber goods, and glassware. It outlines the proper cleaning, disinfection, and storage procedures for items like mackintoshes, hot water bags, gloves, test tubes, and thermometers. Maintaining cleanliness and proper care is important to prevent infection spread, remove stains, and prolong the life of these items. Key steps include washing with soap and water, drying completely, and disinfecting or sterilizing depending on the item.
2. CARE OF LINENS, RUBBER
GOODS,GLASSWARES
By
Mr.BALADINESH.K,
4th YEAR B.Sc(NURSING)
3. Specific objectives:
• Care of linens
• Purpose of care of linens
• Importance of care of linens
• Care of rubber goods
• Purpose of care of rubber goods
• Importance of care of rubber goods
• Care of glasswares
• Purpose of glasswares
• Importance of care of glasswares
5. Rubber goods:
List the rubber goods used in hospitals:
• Mackintosh
• Hot water bag
• Ice cap
• Ice collar
• Air cushions
• Gloves
• Mask of AMBU bag
• Air mattresses
6. General care principles for care of rubber
articles:
• Rubber articles get destroyed with heat.
• Hot rubber articles can be boiled.
• Hydrocarbons should not be used for cleaning rubber
goods.
• Do not fold rubber sheets , instead roll them with
paper or thin cloth.
• Do not stick pins on rubber goods as they cut through
and cause leakage.
• Always dry rubber goods after cleaning them in shade.
8. Care of mackintosh after use:
1. Decontaminate by immersing in a tub of 0.5%
chlorine/sodium hypochlorite/ chlorhexidine
solutions.
2. Spread the mackintosh on a flat surface and wet it by
pouring water on it.
3. Use a piece of clean cloth or a plastic scrubber to
apply soap and wash away the soap.
4. Repeat the above step on the other side of the
mackintosh.
5. Dry it in shade on a dry horizontal surface by
exposing both the surfaces to air.
6. When dry, powder it lightly with dusting powder and
roll it with a paper lining on it.
10. Care of hot water bag, ice cap , air
cushions
1. Empty the contents eg.,water from bag, ice cubes
from collar and cap.
2. Deflate the air cushion. Clean the outside of the air
cushion with soap and water as it may be soiled of
fecal matter or urine.
3. Wipe the outer surface of the hot water bag, ice cap
and collar using a piece of clean damp cloth.
4. Hang them upside down for drip-drying.
5. Blowm some air into each of the above mentioned
rubber items and close the cap/valve.
6. Check for leakage before storing.
7. Store ina cool and dry place.
8. Send the cover for laundry.
11. Gloves ,tubes and catheters:
• After using it never reuse disposables.
• Discard it appropriately.
• Oxygen tubes can be reused only for the same patient.
Discard it if it is soiled with body fluids.
13. Care of Rubber air/water mattress and pillows:
1. Deflate the mattress, pillow . Remove the cloth cover.
2. Clean the mattress and pillow using a piece of clean cloth and
if soled, decontaminate 0.5% sodium hypochlorite and let it
dry.
3. Clean with soap and water on flat surface
4. Dry in shade on a dry flat surface by exposing both the
surfaces to air.
5. Inflate some air into the mattress and pillow using a pump.
6. Roll the mattress and pillow, and store as indicated .
15. Care of AMBU bag with face mask:
1. Wipe the bag and rubber part of the face mask using
a piece of clean damp cloth.
2. Disinfect using a cotton ball soaked in savlon or
methylated spirit or 70% alcohol.
17. Care of Aquathermia pads:
1. Disconnect the pad from electrical unit.
2. Remove the cloth cover from the pad.
3. Empty the water from the pad by unscrewing the hose.
4. Hang the pad upside down to drip dry by air.
5. Inflate some air using air pump and store.
6. Send the cloth cover to the laundry.
18. Sterilization of rubber articles:
• Autoclaving:121-123°C and pressure of 15- 17
lbs/square inch for 15 minutes.
• Chemical sterilization:
i. Savlon - 30 mins
ii. Glutaraldehyde - 10-20mins for disinfection
10 hrs for sterilization
iii. Alcohol - 20 to 30 mins
*goods must be rinsed with distilled water, after
chemical disinfection / before use.
19. Purposes of care of rubber goods:
• To prevent spread of infection
• To clean the article and prepare for re-use.
• To remove stains
• To preserve life of articles.
21. Care of Linens:
Common linen items are:
a) Bed sheets(top and bottom)
b) Draw sheets
c) Cloth covers
d) Blankets
e) Drapers
f) Clothes
g) Restraints
h) Towels
22. Removal of stains from linen:
• Tea,cocoa,coffee:wash them in hot water with sodium
bicarboante, if not completely gone , use lemon juice or
hydrogen peroxide.
• Blood stains:soak immediately in cold water.when
satins disappear, wash them in warm soapy water.if it
is old stain, soak them in a mixture of hydrogen
peroxide and ammonia for several hours and then
wash them in cold water and then with soap and
warm water.
• Ink stain:wet the stain area with cold water.sprinkle
salt and lemon juice or apply NHȝ and wash as usual.
• Medicine stain:apply spirit and wash as usual.
23. Cleaning and disinfection of uncontaminated linen:
1.Regularly send the dirty linen to laundry for washing and
ironing.
2.Protect the mattress area with draw mackintosh from potential
areas of soiling like the middle part.
3.Use mackintoshes over top sheet during therapeutic procedure
4.Remove fresh stains, using appropriate solvent
5.Routinely inspect and send torn linen for repair
6.Send indents on time to keep extra linen at hand
7.Fold and keep different linen sorted out in cupboards with label
8.Never put used linen on floor. Use laundry boxes/bags
9.Maintain a record of the linen sent for laundry.
24. Contaminated linen:
• Discard the linen in appropriate laundry hamper trolley, after
removal from the bed to prevent contamination.
• Put the linen in a big plastic bucket with chlorine 0.5%
solution for ten minutes to decontaminate the linen.
• Rinse in cold water to prepare for autoclaving.
• Dry in sunlight
• Send for autoclaving to make it safe for use, and to destroy all
types of pathogens , including spores.
• Neatly store in appropriate cupboards.
25. Purposes of care of linen:
• To give a good aesthetic sense to the patient
• To keep the patient clean,dry and comfortable
• To prevent spread of infection
• To remove stains
• To infestations with bugs
• To prolong life of items
28. Care of thermometer:
1.Remove the thermometer from antiseptic solution and wipe it
dry from bulb to stem with a dry cotton ball before using.
2.Clean the thermometer from stem to bulb after use, using a
wet soapy cotton ball in circular movement.
3.Rinse the thermometer holding from the stem with bulb
downward under running water.
4.Immerse the thermometer in a disinfectant solution.
5.Store dry in its container
6.Use disposable sleeve for electronic thermometers and wipe
probe with 70% alcohol.
29. Cleaning , disinfection and sterilization of glass
items:
• Disinfect the item by immersing in 0.5% of chlorine/ sodium
hypochlorite/chlorhexidine for min 5mins in a plastic container
covered with lid.
• Clean glass wares using mild liquid soap.
• Use plastic brushes of an app size to cleanse .
• Rinse the glass items under cold running water.
• Dry item in a rack or app stand by placing in an inverted position.
• Separate any glass item with cracks
• Wrap the items in a thin cloth before sending them for boiling or
autoclaving.
• Immerse item with no air bubbles in glutaraldehyde for 20 to 30
mins for disinfection.
• Immerse with no air bubbles in 2% glutaraldehyde for 10 hrs for
sterilization.