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| CaviWipes Ideal for Disinfecting Glucometers Between Residents |
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Since we've had a few questions about CaviWipes' suitability for disinfecting glucometers between residents, we thought we'd clear things up for everyone!
Revised guidance on Tag F441 from CMS now specifies that caregivers need to disinfect glucometers in between residents. After reviewing manufacturer specifications and relevant guidelines, ProMed is confident that CaviWipes are appropriate for disinfecting glucometers as well as other non-porous substances. CaviWipes are the chosen disinfectant for the Compliance® BG System.
It is recommended that facilities clean equipment used with residents with a 1:10 dilution of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) to reduce the spread of harmful organisms, including HIV, MRSA, VRE and Hepatitis A, B and C. CaviWipes are effective against all of these organisms, plus the following:
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis var: bovis (BCG) |
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa |
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Salmonella choleraesuis |
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Trichophyton mentagrophytes |
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Staphylococcus aureus |
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Clostridium difficle (C. diff) (vegetative cells only) |
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Staphylococcus aureus with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin |
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Herpes simplex types 1 and 2 |
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Influenza A2 virus |
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CaviWipes kill all of the above-listed organisms within a maximum kill time of three minutes. Surveyors are looking for caregivers to allow a three-minute dwell time for glucometer disinfection between residents. It is suggested that caregivers have at least two glucometers available during glucose testing so that one is always available for use while the other one is drying.
To learn more about CaviWipes and view our statement paper on their suitability for disinfecting glucometers in between residents, please contact your ProMed sales rep. To view the original blog entry, click here.
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Know Someone Who Needs a Gentle Reminder about Handwashing?
Try a CDC E-Card! |
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 Handwashing is the number one way to prevent the spread of germs - but
we all know someone who occasionally needs a gentle reminder. The CDC has just the solution - an animated e-card!
The e-card shows a cat washing his hands - er, paws? - and singing a song set to the tune of "Happy Birthday." Individuals are encouraged to keep washing their hands through two refrains of the song to make sure their hands are free of bacteria and grime. After the e-card plays, recipients can click on additional links to learn more about proper handwashing technique.
To view and send the e-card, click here. The CDC also has e-cards on other topics ranging from appointment reminders to vaccinations. To view the original blog entry, click here.
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The following is an excerpted article from the debut issue of Embrace. Want to learn more? Simply subscribe to Embrace! Subscriptions are free and signing up is a snap – just visit promedsupply.com and click on the "Subscribe Now" link.
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| Kathy Kelly: Championing a Compassionate Community |
By Laura Kuhn
In the boardroom at Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation, the organization's mission statement is displayed prominently on a wall. It reads: "Our mission: To honor the dignity of life by serving as a compassionate community."
To Kathy Kelly, RN, MS, NHA, Vice President of Clinical Services, these aren't just words. They're a goal that she brings to work with her every day.
A history of caring
The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago trace their roots back to 1894, when Josephine Dudzik, a Polish immigrant, was compelled to action by the great need she saw among Chicago's elderly, ill and poor. Dudzik – later known as Mother Mary Theresa – established the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago as a religious congregation of women. In 1898, the group founded the St. Joseph Home of Chicago, the city's first Catholic nursing home.
More than a century after its inception, Kelly says Dudzik's vision is still at the forefront of everything that happens at the group's 14 facilities, collectively known as the Franciscan Communities. As a faith-based organization, the Franciscan Communities seek to meet the spiritual needs of their residents in addition to providing top-notch care.
Kelly has been with Franciscan Sisters for the past 10 years. Before that, she worked as a long-term care surveyor for the Joint Commission, as a director of nursing and in a number of roles at a hospital in
Chicago. Her desire to get into nursing goes back to when she was just six years old. "I had an aunt who was a nurse, and I always knew how important her work was," Kelly recalls. "I knew I too wanted to be taking care of people. That is what makes my work gratifying."
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