[MCOH-EH] Furniture in Patient Care Areas

[Sampson, Deborah]

We have upholstered ergonomically correct chairs in a dark fabric at our nurses' stations. Chairs and fabrics have not been implicated in infection outbreaks so I think that whatever works ergonomically should be fine. Our nosocomial infection rates are very low.
Deb
PS, I was an ICP for a few decades before moving into OM and now work with a terrific MedTech ICP who has worked in the field 20 years. Checking with her, she doesn't think upholstery or chair materials mattered anywhere except in direct patient care areas. In patient care rooms, the material should be capable of withstanding disinfectants to reduce CDif, norovirus, and other tough bugs. We have chosen a very high grade naugahyde type plastic material. Neither of us know of any good science to support or refute choices in this area for non-patient care rooms. Would be interested to know others' thoughts/knowledge

Deborah A. Sampson, PhD, APRN, COHN-S, FAANP
Director
Employee Health and Wellness Services
Southern New Hampshire Health   P.O.Box 2014   8 Prospect Street   Nashua, NH 03060
p(603) 281-8583  f (603) 577-5665
deborah.sampson at snhhealth.org<mailto:deborah.sampson at snhhealth.org>

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From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net] On Behalf Of Tara Dockery
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 9:14 PM
To: MCOH/EH
Subject: Re: [MCOH-EH] Furniture in Patient Care Areas

Thank you for this.... My facility is struggling with some chairs with a mesh background they purchased for a conference room. The chairs at the nursing station were old, worn out, with holes, stuffing coming out and seams  ripped. I told them to replace those chairs (thinking impervious material, smooth surfaces) and they promptly replaced them with the mesh backed conference room chairs.. with lots of crevices for catching dust and biofilm.  As Infection Control I definitely don't approve of those chairs, as the holes can harbor organisms, however the purchasing department can find some documentation to say similar mesh backed chairs have an "antimicrobial finish". Sometimes its no fun to be the only one thinking what you are thinking....

From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net] On Behalf Of Hudson, T. Warner
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 8:18 AM
To: MCOH/EH <mcoh-eh at mylist.net<mailto:mcoh-eh at mylist.net>>
Subject: Re: [MCOH-EH] Furniture in Patient Care Areas

There is a useful checklist attached to this link:

http://www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com/article/weighing-your-furniture-options


T. Warner Hudson, MD FACOEM, FAAFP
Medical Director, Occupational and Employee Health
UCLA Health System and Campus
Office 310.825.9146
Fax 310.206.4585
Pager 800.233.7231  ID 27132
E-mail twhudson at mednet.ucla.edu<mailto:twhudson at mednet.ucla.edu>
Website www.ohs.uclahealth.org<http://www.ohs.uclahealth.org>

From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net] On Behalf Of Wintermeyer, Stephen F.
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 5:18 AM
To: mcoh-eh at mylist.net<mailto:mcoh-eh at mylist.net>
Subject: [MCOH-EH] Furniture in Patient Care Areas

I am looking at purchasing some new furniture for patient care areas in my clinic.  I have looked on the CDC website for Infection Control guidelines for purchasing such furniture.  I cannot find any such guidelines.

If you have Infection Control guidelines for selecting furniture for patient care areas, I would appreciate your sharing them with me.

Thank you.

Stephen Wintermeyer, MD, MPH
Director
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine

Campus Health
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Coleman Hall, Suite 100
1140 West Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN  46202
317-274-8214

[IUPUI_ACR.H]


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