Equipment care: read the instructions before choosing a product

Cleaning and disinfection have different jobs

Cleaning removes dirt from a surface. Disinfection targets many pathogenic microorganisms and is not equivalent to sterilisation. WHO explains that cleaning precedes disinfection; the method depends on the equipment and its use. WHO definitions, PDF page 2.

An instruction to “wipe after use” is therefore too vague for a working procedure. Record the purpose of each stage separately on the care card. Determine the need for disinfection and the appropriate procedure from facility protocols and the relevant instructions, not from a shiny surface or the smell of a product.

Make one card for the specific item

Use the instructions for your exact model and configuration. Note the product name, document revision and pages covering care. If an accessory or cover has its own instructions, include them rather than automatically applying the rules for the main item.

It helps to organise the card by surface: tabletop, frame, upholstery, controls and accessories, where present. Beside each one, leave space for the approved product, application method and finishing steps. Mark anything unknown as “clarification required”. An empty field should not look like permission to use any method.

Check power and water precautions

For Enterprise 5000X, 8000X and 9000X beds, Arjo requires disconnection from mains power and warns that battery operation remains possible unless functions are locked. The plug and mains cable must stay dry; jet-stream cleaning and wash tunnels are prohibited. Arjo Enterprise guide, page 1.

This is an example for those models, not a rule for all equipment. On your own card, record the manufacturer’s preparation sequence, including power and moving parts. Make the preparation entry specific enough that staff do not have to guess the next step.

Match the product, surface and timing

An active ingredient’s name is not enough to complete the card. Check the specific product, intended use, permitted materials, application method and label requirements. Avoid entries such as “alcohol works everywhere” or “a stronger concentration is better”. If the documents do not provide a clear answer, seek clarification rather than inventing a recipe.

The Arjo Maxi Air guide explicitly ties disinfection time to the instructions on the product label. Give contact time its own field on the care card instead of replacing it with “a quick wipe”. Arjo Maxi Air guide, page 2.

For its overbed table, Amico specifies removing cleaning-agent residue with a water-dampened cloth and drying thoroughly. It directs users to the manufacturer for approved products. This is a requirement for that item, not a universal instruction to rinse off every disinfectant immediately after application. Amico manual, page 8.

A short checklist before starting

These questions help establish whether you are ready to begin. They do not replace the sequence in the agreed instructions.

• Do the model and surface match the ones covered by the card?
• Is it clear whether the task requires cleaning, disinfection or both?
• Are equipment preparation, protective equipment and the responsible staff member identified?
• Have the specific product’s compatibility and application method been confirmed?
• Are contact time, residue removal and drying recorded where required?
• Is it clear who checks the result and authorises return to use?

When instructions are missing

Send the supplier the model name, material or part name, and exact name of the product you plan to use. Ask for confirmation of compatibility and the application procedure, with a document reference. A broad question such as “can it be disinfected?” does not resolve the specific issues.

Keep the clarification with the card. If you notice damage during care, report it to the person responsible for the equipment and record it in the logbook rather than trying to conceal it through repeated treatment. Keeping a service history.

A good care card gives staff specific answers: what to treat, which product to use, the sequence to follow and the conditions for returning the item to use. Its value is that the next shift does not have to reconstruct those decisions from memory.