Table 2.
Effectiveness of post-discharge cleaning of high-touch surfaces, evaluated by four methods
| Surface sampled | Number sampled | Mean aerobic colony count (± SE) | Number (%) clean by visual inspection | Median ATP RLU (range) | Number (%) clean by FM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedrail |
20 |
1.5 (0.9) |
9 (45.0) |
63 (13–806) |
6 (30.0) |
| Tray table |
20 |
2.3 (1.2) |
11 (55.0) |
123.5 (26–4185) |
17 (85.0) |
| Call button |
20 |
38.7 (25.8) |
10 (50.0) |
276 (23–3601) |
15 (75.0) |
| Telephone |
20 |
7.7 (2.5) |
12 (60.0) |
166 (30–1863) |
16 (80.0) |
| Bedside table |
20 |
1.9 (0.9) |
9 (45.0) |
91 (15–889) |
9 (45.0) |
| Chair |
16 |
23.9 (13.1) |
9 (56.3) |
305.5 (53–1472) |
3 (18.8) |
| Room sink |
16 |
9.1 (3.7) |
6 (37.5) |
94.5 (11–511) |
8 (50.0) |
| Room light switch |
19 |
5.5 (2.2) |
15 (79.0) |
49 (5–314) |
6 (31.6) |
| Room door knob |
20 |
5.7 (2.9) |
10 (50.0) |
108.5 (18–354) |
2 (10.0) |
| Bathroom light switch |
20 |
4.4 (2.1) |
13 (65.0) |
138.5 (15–1716) |
5 (25.0) |
| Bathroom hand rail |
20 |
204.7 (195.6) |
11 (55.0) |
284 (14–6068) |
5 (25.0) |
| Bathroom sink |
20 |
10.5 (6.2) |
7 (35.0) |
160 (30–1610) |
13 (65.0) |
| Toilet seat |
20 |
19.5 (15.1) |
18 (90.0) |
74.5 (14–258) |
19 (95.0) |
| Toilet flush handle |
19 |
133.8 (78.5) |
16 (84.2) |
179 (33–1245) |
14 (73.7) |
| Bedpan cleaner |
20 |
21.4 (9.8) |
9 (45.0) |
190.5 (10–1530) |
5 (25.0) |
| Total | 290 | 32.9 (14.7) | 165 (56.9) | 130.5 (10–6068) | 143 (49.3) |
Note: SE, standard error; ATP, adenosine triphosphate; RLU, relative light units; FM, fluorescent marker.