Improve Cleaning and Reduce HAI

As part of a Level II environmental monitoring program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends monitoring cleaning thoroughness with an objective measurement tool, such as an ATP Cleaning Verification System. The guide below explains how you can implement an ATP monitoring program according to the guidelines set forth by the CDC toolkit: Options for Evaluating Environmental Cleaning. Keep reading to learn how to set up your ATP program.

The CDC provides a list of recommended test sites. We’ve listed several below:

Baseline monitoring is the initial testing regimen that should be conducted to accurately assess the current level of cleanliness and compliance to current cleaning processes. Results from initial testing will become the baseline to gauge improvement or deterioration of cleaning. The CDC recommends sampling all available surfaces in a 10-15% sample of patient rooms. In hospitals with less than 150 beds, all available surfaces should be tested in at least 10% of rooms. Baseline monitoring should be conducted at least three times per year. When cleaning scores have improved to at least 80% or higher pass results, you can confidently scale your testing to an optimized monitoring plan, described below.

The CDC provides a list of recommended test sites. We’ve listed several below:

When hospitals have achieved more than 80% or higher pass results from baseline monitoring, the number of surfaces to be monitored can be scaled to those available in a more economical sample of rooms. If the proportion of passing scores decreases during ongoing testing, this demonstrates a deterioration in cleaning practices and troubleshooting is required. More testing may be necessary to identify trouble areas.

By merely implementing a monitoring tool, cleaning personnel may perform more consistently because they know cleaning performance will be measured regularly. This is also known as the Hawthorne effect. Around the globe, more and more hospitals are moving to daily or monthly ATP cleaning verification. Daily monitoring only requires a few tests per day, yet holds cleaning staff accountable for achieving an optimal level of cleanliness each and every day.

ATP monitoring can be used to train and improve handwashing techniques, including the effectiveness of different soaps and duration of handwashing.  Hygiene monitoring based on ATP bioluminescence is a simple method that can be used as part of a handwashing monitoring and training program. Download our handwashing guide to learn how ATP Cleaning Verification can improve hand hygiene and help reduce HAIs.