[humanser] Question about cane sanitation for hospital use
Ginny Duff
duffg at stjoe.on.ca
Tue Feb 16 18:16:12 UTC 2016
Hi all - I have worked in a hospital for longer than I care to admit.
Mind you in psychiatry - not in physical or surgical medicine. I did
have the interesting experience of living through the SARS outbreak and
wearing gowns/ gloves / masks day in day out until it was over. Lots
of fun. Lots of hand sanitizer on the handle of my cane.
We had this same discussion about a year ago.
My recommendation is that you consult with a local expert regarding the
particular situation you are dealing with. Hospitals all have
infection control experts who you can consult with. They will have very
particular rules depending on the situation. Until you understand
their mind set it is impossible to guess what they would recommend.
Their rules often seem strange to an outsider.
By the way - a "sterilized" cane is not possible since as soon as you
touch it , it is no longer sterile. In any case, mostly you don't need
to be sterile unless you are doing surgery. Mostly the infection
control people are trying to keep you from carrying a bug out of a
patient's room and transferring it to another patient who might be
immuno-comprimised.
Ginny
Dr. V. Duff
Clinical Director, West End ACT Team,
St. Joseph's Heatlh Centre , Toronto
Staff Psychiatrist, Complex Mental Illness, CAMH
Lecturer, University of Toronto
Tel: 416.530.6000, ext 3101
FAX: 416.530.6363
Sent from my iPad
> On Feb 16, 2016, at 11:35 AM, justin williams via humanser
<humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> But, those persons who don't have a dog guide may need the cane to get
around the room which is why having a sterilized one on hand in the
hospitial or nursing home might be a good idea as wel.
> Justin
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Shannon Cook via humanser
> Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 11:06 AM
> To: Human Services Division Mailing List <humanser at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Shannon Cook <SCook at sccb.sc.gov>
> Subject: Re: [humanser] Question about cane sanitation for hospital
use
>
> I agree with this. I think we can place too much attention on
extraneous things. I'd do the same as you JD.
>
> Shannon Cook, MSW
> Counselor, Older Blind Program
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of JD
Townsend via humanser
> Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 9:33 AM
> To: Human Services Division Mailing List <humanser at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: JD Townsend <43210 at bellsouth.net>
> Subject: Re: [humanser] Question about cane sanitation for hospital
use
>
>
> Hello All,
>
> I have worked in a medical hospital for the past 15 years at my
present hospital and for years in past decades.
>
> My dog guide was never dis-allowed, my white cane never questioned.
>
> If I were to have to enter a room where gowns and shoe wraps were
required I would chose to leave my white cane in the hallway.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ericka via humanser
> Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 1:15 PM
> To: Human Services Division Mailing List
> Cc: Ericka
> Subject: Re: [humanser] Question about cane sanitation for hospital
use
>
> Makes sense to me. MRSA is a big problem in nursing homes too. You
don't want to bring anything in those rooms or take anything out. Not
resistant to antibiotics, not everyone comes out of that OK if you know
what I mean. I would feel really bad to bring something in off the
street to someone who couldn't fight it off. Hospitals are places to get
better. I would feel incredibly guilty matter what my reason for being
in that room to make someone else more sick or worse.
>
> Ericka Short
> "What is right is not always popular; what is popular is not always
right."
>
> from my iPhone
>
>> On Feb 14, 2016, at 9:47 AM, Carly Mihalakis via humanser
>> <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Sanitizing your cane? That's new to me. Seems like sanitizing your
>> shoes, kind of pointless?
>> If it ain't broke, don't fix it.>>> set aside for use in the hospitals. On 8/17/15, Annely Rose via
>>> humanser <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote: > Hi, > > I'm following this
>>> thread and it is very thought provoking. I am recalling > that when
>>> my late husband was in the hospital with a staff infection in his >
>>> nasal passages, as they called it, all of us had to wear protective
>>> gear, > but the nurse brought in the medication cart and I'm not
>>> aware that anyone > wiped it down afterward. also, there was
>>> furniture in the room and other > equipment. I carried my cane in
>>> and no one said anything. Even a doctor > came in and didn't have
a gown on or any facial mask. go figure.
>>> Maybe > this hospital wasn't as strict or should I say they were
>>> careless. And > where did my husband get this infection? He was
>>> home with us 2 days before > and a day in ICU before they diagnosed
>>> it and none of the family came down > with it. The ICU staff didn't
>>> wear anything protective. Makes you wonder. > And if you get sick,
>>> they say that there are staff germs everywhere, even on > our skin.
>>> Our canes go everywhere with us and who knows what the > tips come
>>> in contact with on a daily basis. I try to wipe mine clean, but >
>>> many times forget. When I fold it up, I never put it in my purse
and
>>> try > not to touch it either on my skin or on my clothes. And, of
>>> course, I never > put it on a table anywhere. If I set it on a
chair
>>> in a restaurant, I'll > leave the tip hanging over the edge. > >
>>> Annely > > > -------------------------------------------- > On Mon,
>>> 8/17/15, Michael Abell via humanser <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote: > >
Subject: Re:
>>> [humanser] Question about cane sanitation for hospital use > To:
>>> "'Human Services Division Mailing List'" <humanser at nfbnet.org> >
Cc:
>>> "Michael Abell" <bigdog4744 at gmail.com> > Date: Monday, August 17,
>>> 2015, 12:18 PM > > Hello, > Â Â Â These are all fantastic and
>>> thought > provoking answers! I am taken by > the new > frontiers
>>> that we are blazing through. > Â Â Â I have special canes for
>>> occasions. What > about a cane that would be > used for just >
>>> such purposes. You could remove any porous material > (grips, >
>>> tips . and elastic) even going to a > solid cane. This would make it
>>> easy to > sanitize and you could limit its use for these >
>>> purposes. > Â Â Â J D brings up very salient > points about
>>> instruments and devices. I > would ask the hospital staff what they
>>> do with > their devices. I am also > waiting to hear > what our
>>> dear friend Dr. Chapel has to say on this > subject! > Mary? > > >
>>> Regards, > > Michael "Big Dog" Abell > > Helping individuals to
find
>>>> their eyes in the dark. > (480) 369-0805 > > > > -----Original
>>> Message----- > From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>
>>> On Behalf Of Ginny Duff > via humanser > Sent: Monday, August 17,
>>> 2015
>>> 9:06 AM > To: humanser at nfbnet.org > Cc: Ginny Duff > Subject: Re:
>>>> [humanser] Question about cane sanitation for hospital > use > >
>>> I work in a hospital > although being in psychiatry, I rarely have
>>> to worry > about this issue.   I agree that the > cane is
>>> essential.   Its one thing to > leave it outside the room when
>>> you are just > visiting but it would be a > completely >
different
>>> matter if you were working there. > > I'd be just as concerned >
>>> about the tip and the handle.   If you touch > something with
>>> your gloves then you have > transferred anything contaminated > to
>>> the > handle and then once you take the gloves off your hands are >
>>> in direct > contact with the > handle.   Of course when you
fold
>>> the cane up you > then > touch the whole thing. > > You could
>>> contact the head of > infection control and let them mull that
over.
>>>>>> What to do > with the ca>>> do with a > walker > or medical equipment that is taken > out of
>>> the room later.   They must wipe > that equipment down with
>>> something that would > work on your cane.  Alcohol > swabs are
a
>>>> bit too small. > > Ginny > > > > Dr. V. Duff > Clinical
>>> Director, > West End ACT Team, > St. Joseph's Heatlh > Centre ,
>>> Toronto > Staff Psychiatrist, Complex > Mental Illness, CAMH
>>> Lecturer, University of > Toronto > Tel:Â Â Â 416.530.6000, ext
>>> 3101 > FAX:Â Â Â
>>> 416.530.6363 > > Sent from my iPad > > > On Aug 17, 2015, at 11:43
>>>> AM, JD Townsend via humanser > <humanser at nfbnet.org> > wrote: >
>>>>>>>> Hello Kaiti & All: > > > > Interesting > question.Â
>>> I do work in a hospital and precautions are > > always an issue. >
>>>>>> My questions are: > > Do > other staff wear street shoes or
>>> cover them with booties? > > Do other staff wear full body
coverings
>>> or > are pants exposed? > > > > Alcohol wipes are always present
>>> in > hospitals. A clean wipe of my > > white > cane would
provide
>>> much better protection than the exposure > to > > my shoes or
pants
>>> and much better > protection than nursing clipboards or > exposed
>>> hair. > > > > According to my best knowledge, your white > cane
is
>>> considered a > > prosthesis, like > a prostetic leg and as such
>>> there ought be no problem > > if it is kept as clean as one of
>>> those > devices. > > > > If shoe > booties are called for, just
>>> use one for your cane tip. > > > > I would be more > concerned
>>> about your music insterments - players and > > the like, and your
>>> cell 'phone. > > > > > > JD Townsend LCSW > > > Helping the
light
>>> dependent to see. > > > Daytona Beach, Earth, Sol System > > > >
>>>>>> _______________________________________________ > > humanser
>>> mailing list > > > humanser at nfbnet.org > >
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org > > To
>>> unsubscribe, change your list options > or get your account info
for
>>> humanser: > >
>>>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/duffg%40stjoe.o
>>> n > > .ca > > Please consider the environment before printing >
>>> this e-mail. > When printing is required > please choose to
>>> double-side or re-use paper. >
>>> _______________________________________________ > humanser mailing
>>> list > humanser at nfbnet.org >
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org > To
>>> unsubscribe, change your list options or get > your account info
for
>>> humanser: >
>>>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/bigdog4744%40gmail.com
>>>>>> _______________________________________________ > humanser
>>> mailing list > humanser at nfbnet.org >
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org > To
>>> unsubscribe, change your list options or get > your account info
for
>>> humanser: >
>>>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/annely53r%40yah
>>> oo.com > > > _______________________________________________ >
>>> humanser mailing list > humanser at nfbnet.org >
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org > To
>>> unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >
>>> humanser: >
>>>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet1
>>> 04%40gmail.com > -- Kaiti Shelton University of Dayton-Music
Therapy
>>> President, Ohio Association of Blind Students 2013-Present
Secretary,
>>> The National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division
>>> 2015-2016 "You can live the life you want; blindness is not what
>>> holds you back!"
>>> _______________________________________________ humanser mailing
list
>>> humanser at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org To
>>> unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
humanser:
>>>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_>> _______________________________________________
>> humanser mailing list
>> humanser at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> humanser:
>>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/dotwriter1%40gma
>> il.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> humanser mailing list
> humanser at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> humanser:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/43210%40bellsouth.net
>
> JD Townsend LCSW
> Helping the light dependent to see.
> Daytona Beach, Earth, Sol System
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> humanser mailing list
> humanser at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
humanser:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/scook%40sccb.sc.gov
> Cataracts are among the leading causes of vision loss worldwide; they
are usually treatable. Has an ophthalmologist diagnosed you or a loved
one with cataracts? Do you need cataract surgery but can’t afford the
cost? If you’re a SC resident and U.S. citizen not covered by Medicare,
Medicaid or other insurance; and have cataracts in both eyes, we at the
SC Commission for the Blind may be able to help. Give us a call at
888.335.5951 or find us online at www.sccb.state.sc.us
_______________________________________________
> humanser mailing list
> humanser at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
humanser:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/justin.williams2%40gmail.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> humanser mailing list
> humanser at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
humanser:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/duffg%40stjoe.on.ca
Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
When printing is required please choose to double-side or re-use paper.
More information about the HumanSer
mailing list