Since the beginning of the year, the Werre Residence Löhne has been using the RX dispenser system to support hand hygiene
At first glance the Werre Residence in Löhne looks impressive. The facility is kept looking immaculate and new. It is clear that staff pay special attention to the importance of cleanliness and hygiene. Located on the river of the same name, the facility features 80 single rooms and over 20 apartments and is home to senior residents in need of long-term care.
With intensive contact between the nursing staff and the mostly immobile residents, pathogens can quickly spread through hand contact and frequently touched surfaces. Nationwide studies indicate that senior citizens living in long-term care facilities develop up to three infections per year – the most frequent of which are urinary tract infections and pneumonia [1]. Thorough hand hygiene remains one of the most effective tools in preventing the spread of infection. Even widespread norovirus-related diarrhoeal diseases are effectively contained by thoroughly disinfecting the hands.
Choosing the right tools for infection prevention
At the end of 2018, management from the Vital-Wohnen-Group was tasked with choosing a series of disinfectant dispensers to support infection prevention at the Were Residence in Löhne. A robust and intuitive design, in addition to compatibility with 500 mL Euro bottles was important requirement criteria for the dispenser, which led them to the decision to implement OPHARDT’s RX 5 M dispenser systems.
In total, more than forty manual disinfectant dispensers now support staff, residents, and visitors alike in realizing sustainable improvements in infection prevention. Special care was taken to equip the more frequented and hygiene-sensitive areas such as nursing workrooms, duty rooms and toilets with the Euro dispensers. In the entrance area, automatic dispensers are positioned prominently to encourage visitors to disinfect their hands as they enter the facility. The Werre Residence opted for a dispenser model from the RX series here as well.
“We decided to install the dispensers especially where most hand disinfections occur.”
Petra Mundt, Head of Werre Residence Löhne.
When it comes to choosing a disinfectant dispenser, day-to-day maintenance of the dispensers is an important consideration for staff. The unique opening mechanism of the RX allows for an easy and convenient exchange of bottles, once the filling product is empty. Based on data from the National Reference Centre for Surveillance of Nosocomial Infections (NRZ), on average, each German care facility uses about 252 litres of disinfectant per year. This requires more than 500 container changes per year, or at least one container exchange each day. In the often stressful everyday care routine, efficiency is key.
“The staff rates the simple operation as particularly positive. Empty bottles can be easily removed and replaced.”
Petra Mundt, Head of Werre Residence Löhne
The RX 5 M dispenser is supplied with a snap-in drip tray as standard. In the East Westphalian facility, drip trays are only used occasionally, as the dosage of the dispenser is already considered convenient. The product design prevents product spray or leakage onto the floors of the nursing home. All in all, through implementing the new dispensers, staff will ensure a consistently clean place.
Learn more about the RX series on our website and read another RX customer story.
Source: Schulz M, Mielke M, Wischnewski N. Clusters of infectious diseases in German nursing homes: observations from a prospective infection surveillance study, October 2008 to August 2009. Euro Surveillance, 2011, 16:pii 19881.
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