Motion Computing HC334227332, J3400 Cleaning in a health care environment

Chapter 4 Care and Maintenance 61

Cleaning in a health care environment

This section describes the cleaning procedures for a TabletPC in a health care environment.

You should periodically disinfect the tablet according to the institutional polices of surface

and equipment safety and cleanliness.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “items that do not ordinarily touch the patient

or touch only intact skin are not involved in disease transmission, and generally do not

necessitate disinfection between uses on different patients”.1 We recommend using an EPA-

approved low-level disinfectant when general cleaning is required. For a list of cleaning

solutions tested by Motion Computing, see “Cleaning solutions” on page62.

If the tablet becomes soiled with blood or other body fluids, chemical germicides that are

EPA-approved for use as hospital disinfectants and that are tuberculocidal/virucidal when

used at recommended dilutions and contact times can be used. Visibly soiled areas should

first be cleaned and then chemically decontaminated. For disinfection, the cleaned areas

should be moistened with the appropriate germicide and allowed to air dry.2

If a tablet is used with patients who are infected or colonized with vancomycin-resistant

enterococci or other drug-resistant microorganisms judged by the infection control

program (based on current state, regional, or national recommendations, to be of special or

clinical or epidemiologic significance or with highly virulent microorganisms such as Ebola

or Lassa), then the tablet should be dedicated to one patient or patient cohort or subjected

to low-level disinfection between patient uses.1

All users of Motion Tablet PCs in the health care environment should be provided with

training on proper cleaning procedures. Cleaning procedures should be added to the

institution's policies and procedures for infection control.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Sterilization or Disinfection of Medical Devices-General Principles.” 2002.

<www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/bp_sterilization_medDevices.html> (20 Sept. 2006).

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Sterilization or Disinfection of Patient-Care Equipment-HIV Related.” 2000.

<www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/bp_sterilization_patient_care.html> (20 Sept. 2006).