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Hospital Sheets
It is really amazing the number of hospital sheets this type of facility will need to go through. These are a vital item of linen and they are constantly being used in hospitals. They need to get changed at least once a day and they also tend to get soiled with all types of body fluids. Hospital sheets get a lot of use and abuse but luckily most health care facilities are able to keep an ample supply always in circulation. This is a part of hospital life that few people pay much attention to but those involved in keeping these sheets in the linen cupboards are the unsung heroes of the hospital.
A Day in the Life of Hospital Sheets
In most hospitals it is the nursing staff or nursing students who are responsible for dealing with the bed linen. This might seem like a menial task for them to be concerned with but it really is vital that anyone dealing with hospital sheets knows exactly what they are doing. These items can be highly contaminated and if they are not removed correctly then all type of nasty bugs could be passed around the hospital. This is why nurses will wear an apron and gloves when dealing with hospital sheets. They will also take a linen bag along to the bedside so that there is less chance of infection being past. Heaving soiled items go into a special red bag that is treated with extra caution; although all used bed linen is considered potentially dangerous. Nurses also like the task of changing hospital sheets because it gives them the chance to talk to the patients.
Once hospital sheets have been removed from the bed they are kept tied in special bags. They are then taking to the hospital laundry where they will be boil washed until any microscopic life forms will be destroyed. These days the heavy soiled laundry come in special bags that dissolve in the washing machine; that way there is no need to actually handle them. Once the hospital sheets are fully washed they are restocked in the ward linen cupboards to be used again. In the bigger hospitals the laundry will be huge and the machines will be in constant motion.
Why is Hospital Bed Linen Different from Home Bed Linen?
You sometimes hear the question asked as to why hospitals continue to use sheets and blankets. Most of us now use duvets so why don’t the hospitals do the same. After all, this would probably be a lot more comfortable for the patient. Well the simple answer to that is that duvets would not really be appropriate for hospitals because of infection control; duvets would be harder to keep clean and would be a breeding ground for all types of nasty bacteria and viruses. Hospital sheets may not be the most glamorous item in the world but they are easy to keep clean. There are also many sheets thrown out every day because of wear and tear; it would work out too expensive if duvets had to be constantly disposed of.
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