Air Flow, Humidity and Dust

WHS HEALTHCARE QUALITY SERVICE

RANDY BENSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust

•The Fire Marshal

•The Environment of Care

•Clinical Quality of Patient Care

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust•Fire Marshal

•Air Flow Control as Protection From Spread of Fire

• Ability to Shut Down Air Handlers

•Humidity in the OR as a Contributing Cause of Fire (Static Electric Spark)

•Dust and Dirt on Sprinkler Heads, Fire Detection Equipment

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust•Environment of Care

•Air Flow

• Infection Prevention

•Negative Air Flow in Dirty Utility Rooms, Certain Isolation Rooms, Housekeeping Closets

•Positive Air Flow in ORs, Clean Utility Rooms, Procedure Rooms

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust

•Environment of Care (cont.)

•Humidity

• OR, Sub-Sterile Areas

• Citable for Infection Prevention and Fire Safety

• Common Citation During Summer DOH Surveys

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust•Environment of Care (cont.)

• Dust

• Dust as an Infection Prevention Bellwether

• Dust on Air Vents, Picture Frames (high dust), TV Sets, Behind Fire Doors, In Patient Rooms, In Lobbies and Waiting Areas, Light Fixtures, Food Preparation Equip., Materials Management Storerooms

• Impact on Surveyors

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust

•Clinical Patient Care Quality

• These are Potential Red Flags for Patient Care Quality and Safety

• Impacts the Need for Surveyors to Dig Deeper

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust

•Clinical Patient Care Quality (cont.)

•Air Flow

• Dirty Utility Rooms (Doors Propped Open, Soiled Linen Carts Not Covered)

• Isolation Rooms

• OR and Sub-Sterile Areas, Clean Utility Rooms

• Combustible Materials Storage Areas (O2, Anesthesia Gases)

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust

•Clinical Patient Care Quality (cont.)

•Humidity

• Infection Prevention

•Wound Healing

• Supply Storage (Sterile Packs)

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust

•Clinical Patient Care Quality (cont.)

•Dust

• Dust In Public Areas (Waiting Rooms, Lobbies)

• Dust in Patient Rooms, Exam Rooms, ICUs

• Infection Prevention (C. difficile)

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust

Questions?

Air Flow, Humidity and Dust

Randy Benson

Executive DirectorWHS Healthcare Quality Service

206 577-1821randyb@wsha.org