EQUIPMENT AND LINEN (3hr)

UNIT-7
Types – Disposables and reusable
 Linen, rubber goods, glassware, metal, plastics, furniture
Introduction – Indent, maintenance, Inventory
 INTRODUCTION
• Machinery and equipment are essential and basic tools for hospital services,
used on an everyday basis for patient care.

• Handling machinery and equipment is important responsibility of nurse and she

must have awareness about basic care of equipment, so that nursing care is
provided swiftly, there by achieving patient satisfaction.

• The equipment such as defibrillators, patient’s monitors, infusion pumps, patient

imaging equipment, beds and other items are known as patient care equipment.

• These equipment are used in treatment, diagnosis, monitoring, life-sustaining or

resuscitation of patient.
 Types of
equipment

Fixed Movable Disposable Reusable

• Fixed equipment: is not a stucture of the building but it is attached to the
walls or floors. e.g, wall mounted oxygen.

• Movable equipment: This type of equipment includes the furniture and

instruments. e.g, beds, ventilators etc.

• Disposable equipment: It includes the items which can be used only once and
need to be discarded after use.

• Reusable equipment: It includes the items and equipment whcih are used for
a bery long time. These are cleaned, disinfected and sterilized before and
after each use. More care should be given to reusable items than disposable
items.
 Classification of hospital equipment

Emergency and
Equipment used Equipment used Different tubes/
reusscitation
for client care for Monitoring catheters used
equipment
• Cot or bed • Cardiac monitor • Central venous • Ventilator
• Cardiac table/over • Infusion pumps
bed table • Pulse oximeter catheter
• Crash cart
• Bedside locker, table • intracranial • Intravenous
• Neonatal intensive
• Bedpan and urinals pressure • Chest tubes care equipment
• Sputum cup, monitor
• Kidney tray
• Urinary catheter • Diagnostic
• Apnea monitors • Endotracheal equipment
• Bed linen etc
tubes
Basic principles for patient care equipment
A nurse should follow these principles:

• All reusable equipment must be cleaned after the contact with the patient
before it is reused for another patient.

• If any equipment becomes visibly soiled, it must be cleaned immediately.

• Assessment of damage risk should be done before to decontamination of

equipment with appropriate disinfectant.

• If any equipment’s cover is used then cleaning has to be done.

• In outbreak situation additional cleaning protocols are implemented.

 LINEN

• Linen is a fabric made from fibers.

• It includes clothes, sheets, blanket, etc.

• In hospital setting, linen are used for many

purposes such as covering the bed, articles,
etc.
• Different types of linens used in hospital setup are as follows:

Bedsheets

Blankets

Curtains

Cloth covers: pillows, mattress, hot water bottle, air cushion, inhaler cover, etc.

Towels: wrappers for trays, dressing set, etc.

Patient’s clothes: gown, shirts

Staff clothes: mask, cap, gown, OT dress, etc.

 Types of Linen

Soiled linen Contaminated linen–

Clean linen – linen which is exposed
clean fresh linen – linen which is used to blood and body
for patient fluids
• The care of linen has various important benefits in patient
satisfaction such a prevention of infection, cost of operation.

• The hospital should have proper chain for the supply of linen to
avoid delay in any services like OT & ICU procedures, nursing care
services etc,.
 Importance of maintaining Linen in Hospital

• To provide the clean and tidy linens to the patients in the hospital.

• To provide comfort to the patient.

• To limit the cross-infection.

• To promote cost-effectiveness of hospital by prolonging the life of

the items.
 Service Quality standards for Linens

Linen must be stamped with respective ward/area and hospital names to avoid loss of
any items.

Before use of all new articles must be washed.

Torn or cut/damaged linen must be kept aside for repair.

Remove stains before they are fixed.

Send contaminated linen to laundry as early as possible.

Sort the linen carefully, when these are returned from laundry and report for any
problem noted in items.

Accurate and frequent stock-taking must be done to keep track of lost item.

Sorting of dirty linen is to be done when sending to laundry.

Care of linens
Care of linen is important as it is expensive item
in the running of a hospital.
 Store the clean linen in cupboard and
maintain stock register.
 Lock the cupboard when not in use.
 Care should be taken to avoid linen being
taken home by the patients on their
discharge.
 Stock should be checked at regular intervals.
 Torn linen should not be used on the bed
but sent for mending/repair.
 Used/soiled linen should not be placed on
the floor.

Regularly send the dirty linen to laundry for

washing and ironing.

The linen used for an infectious patient

should be disinfected first before sending to
the laundry.

Damp linen should be dried.

• Always used mackintosh while doing any
procedure to prevent soiling of bed linen.

• Use draw sheet mackintosh to protect from

stains.

• Try to remove fresh stains by using

appropriate stain remover.

• Teach the importance of keeping hospital

linen clean to the patient and family
members.
 Removal of stains

• Soaps and detergents

• Hot water - A temperature of at least 160°F (71°C) for a minimum of

25 minutes is commonly recommended for hot-water washing

• Chlorine bleach is an economical, broad-spectrum chemical germicide

 Disinfection of contaminated/soiled linen

• Always use a laundry box/hamper trolley

for collecting contaminated linen.

• Do not throw soiled linen on floor, as it will

cause more contamination.

• Dip the soiled linen in a bucket containing

0.5% solution of chlorine for 10-30
minutes.
• Rinse it in water and dry in sun.

• Send for autoclaving (sterilization).

• After disinfecting and washing the linen store them in appropriate

cupboards.
 RUBBER GOODS

• Care of rubber is very important as it prolongs its life.

• Some of the rubber goods are mackintosh, hot water bag, tubes, ice caps,
catheters, gloves, etc.
Purposes of Rubber articles

• infection prevention

• reuseable

• prevents stain in linen

• preserving the life of articles

 Principles for care of Rubber articles

1. Clean and disinfect regularly

• Rubber goods should be cleaned and disinfected regularly to prevent

the growth of bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfecting the specific
rubber goods.
2. Replace worn or damaged items

• Inspect rubber goods regularly for signs of wear or damage, such as

cracks or tears, and replace them as needed. Damaged rubber goods
can leak and cause infections.

3. Store properly

• Rubber goods should be stored in a clean, dry, and cool place. Avoid
storing them in direct sunlight, as this can cause them to deteriorate.
4. Use appropriate lubricants

• If lubricants are needed for the rubber goods, make sure to use
appropriate lubricants that are compatible with the specific item.

5. Follow proper disposal procedures

• After use, dispose of rubber goods properly according to your

facility’s guidelines for medical waste disposal. This helps prevent the
spread of infection and protect the environment
Sterilization of rubber articles:

• Autoclaving should be done at 121-1230 C and pressure of 15-17 lbs/square

inch for 15 min.

• Chemical sterilization should be done with Savlon for 30 min.

• Glutaraldehyde can be used 10-20 min for disinfection.

 Care of Rubber Goods
Care of mackintosh after use

• A rubber mackintosh, also known as a rubber sheet, is a waterproof

sheet used to protect bedding or furniture from fluids.

• Cleaning a rubber mackintosh is important to ensure it remains free

from bacteria and other harmful microorganisms, as well as to maintain
its waterproof properties.
Steps for cleaning a rubber mackintosh:

1. Wipe down the rubber mackintosh with a damp cloth to remove any
surface dirt or debris.

2. Fill a bathtub or large sink with warm water and add a small amount of
mild soap or detergent.

3. Place the rubber mackintosh in the water and use a soft brush or cloth to
gently scrub the surface. Avoid using harsh abrasives or brushes that may
damage the surface of the rubber.
4. Rinse the rubber mackintosh thoroughly with clean water to remove any soap
residue.

5. Hang the rubber mackintosh to air dry in a well-ventilated area away from
direct sunlight or heat sources. Avoid folding or rolling the rubber mackintosh
while it is still wet, as this can cause damage to the material.

6. Once the rubber mackintosh is dry, store it in a cool, dry place away from direct
sunlight or heat sources.
Care of Rubber Gloves

• Rubber gloves are commonly used in

healthcare to protect hands from exposure to

infectious agents, and other hazards.

• Proper care of rubber gloves is important to

prevent the spread of infections and to ensure

their effectiveness.
Tips for caring for rubber gloves:

• It is desired that the wearer of the gloves should wash them on their
hands just before they are removed to prevent adherence of blood.

• After removing from the hands, they are washed with soap and cold
water, first on the outside then invert and repeat on the inside.

• Rinse well with water both inside and outside.

• Holes and tears are discovered by submerging the glove filled with air
in the water. Separate the torn gloves.

• Hang them to dry.

• When the outside is dry, turn inside out and dry.

• When both sides are dry, powdered inside and outside, and packed in
pairs of the same size, right and left gloves in a pair.

• Steam under pressure is the best method of sterilizing gloves. The

pressure should be kept minimum to avoid melting.
Care of Rubber Tubes (catheters, rectal tubes, flatus
tubes, Ryles tubes, infusion sets)

• Rubber tubes such as catheters, rectal tubes, flatus

tubes, Ryles tubes, and infusion sets are used in
medical care to provide fluids or remove waste from
the body.

• Proper care of these rubber tubes is important to

prevent infections and ensure their effectiveness.
Care for rubber goods tubes:
• After use, wash them under running water.
• A small quantity of organic matter may be lodged at the eye end. Remove
them using a swab stick.
• Clean them with soap and warm water.
• Wash them again under running water.
• Boil the tubes for 5 minutes by putting them in the boiled water.
• Dry it by hanging it.
• When dried, powder and store them in the air container, lengthwise.
• Re-boil or autoclave them before use.
Care of Air Cushion and Rubber Bed/Air Mattress

• To clean the air cushion and air bed, don’t pour water into them. It is
sufficient to clean the outside.

• During cleaning it should not be filled with air, as air-filled items can crack
easily by pressure.

• The valves of the air cushions or air beds should never be immersed in
water, as it makes them rust and damages the item.

• Store them after slightly inflating them to avoid the sticking of two
surfaces.
Care of Hot Water Bottle and Ice Cap

• Empty the contents immediately after use.

• Wash and dry as like the other rubber goods.

• Hang the bags upside down to drain the water.

• The ice caps which cannot be hung are dried with a piece of cloth.

• When the bags are completely dried, inflate them with air and store
them in a cool, dry area.
GLASSWARE
 METAL

• Metal includes stainless steel instruments and surgical sharp

instruments.

Stainless steel instruments

• These are appropriate for almost all purposes, because they are easy to
clean, resistant to heat and hard to break.

• When storing these utensils make sure they are dry.

• Following are the stainless steel instruments:

Forceps (artery forceps, thumb forceps, sponge holders, cheatles forcep

etc)

Needles of different gauzes, biopsy needles.

Scopes (blades of laryngoscope, broncoscope, proctoscope)

Sharp instruments (surgical blades, different scissors, razors, etc)

Miscellaneous (spatulas, tongue depressors, tracheal airway, tube clamps,

tracheostomy tubes, mouth gag, dilators, etc)
Cleaning stainless steel instruments

• Wear gloves while handling these items.

• Dip items in 5% chlorine for 5-6 minutes then wash under running
water.

• Make sure that tips, toothed ends, grooves of forceps are cleaned
properly.

• Instruments with fine tips are covered with a hard rubber cap.

• After drying send it for sterilization.

Surgical sharp instruments

• Scissors and knives are the most commonly used sharp instrument’s
type.

• The sharpness of instrument’s edges becomes rough after their

overuse, exposure to moisture, and high temperature.

• Therefore sterilization of such instruments is done using hot air

sterilizer in which exposure to high temperature (160oC) for an hour is
done.
• Disinfect the instruments by submerging in 0.5% chorine solution or
in 2% glutaraldehyde for 20-30 minutes.

• An antirust agent i.e., sodium nitrate 0.1% is added if available.

• After disinfecting, rinse in sterile water stream, dry it with a wipe

using sterile cloth and store it in the container.
 MACHINERY

• Items such as suction apparatus, defibrillator, infusion pump and

nebulizer etc are some examples of machinery which are used with
electric current.
Nursing care and maintenance of machineries :
• Never leave power ON, OFF the equipment when not in use.
• Proper cleaning of equipment and its parts by using a soft wet cloth.
• The suction apparatus tubing should be changed every 24 h.
• Inspect the functioning of equipment before using it.
• Keep all equipment at safe and appropriate place and ready for use.
• Don’t keep food items, expired medicines, opened medications, unused
blood samples etc in the refrigerator.
• Keep the defibrillator charged as it can be needed in emergency situations.
 Introduction – Indent, maintenance, Inventory
INDENT

• Indent is a list of items, which are not available in the stock.

• Indent is usually done weekly/monthly based on need/shortage of items.

• For this list of articles/items is prepared and sent to the main store.

• The record is maintained in a register/notebook known as indent book.

Maintenance

• Equipment maintenance is a set of activities done to keep equipment in

their optimum working condition and consist of routine inspection and
maintenance practices.

• The basic objective of maintenance is to have availability of equipment

with increased safety.

• In hospital there are various equipment such as sphygmomanometer,

stethoscope, thermometers, bronchoscope and other surgical equipment
and scanning devices like computed axial tomography (CT) scanners, X-
ray machines and MRI .
Log book of Maintenance and Repair

• Health and hospital equipments need great care in handling.

• In spite of best intentions and careful handling, frequent breakdown may occur,
requiring minor repairs.

• Since most of these equipments are costly, their maintenance also becomes an
expensive affair.

• There is a need of proper records of maintenance and repair in the form of log
book for each equipment.

• In log book, entry is made while sending the equipment for repair/maintenance
and return entry shall also be made to prevent loss of equipment.
THANK YOU