Previous Meeting

MARCH- Current Infection Control Issues

Where: Copley Hospital, Morrisville, Vermont

When:  March 11th, 2011

9:30 am - 2:00 pm

Harry Kendrick led the round table discussion.  The following topics were covered:

Bed Bugs -  Harry passed out his hospital's new bed bug policy  (enclosed) and discussed some of the new information his Pest Control vendor, (Waltham Chemical) recently shared in an in service for the DHMC Housekeeping Staff.  There was much discussion about this hot topic.

Sustainable Flooring - most facilities are looking at sustainable flooring when renovation or new construction is occurring.  DHMC has had much success with rubber flooring, but the installation is a key factor in ensuring that the product performs well.  This flooring does not need to refinished, is quiet and comfortable for people like nurses who are on their feet all day.  It is cleaned with a neutral cleaning product and DHMC uses automatic scrubbers.    There was also much discussion about Marmoleum  and no one seems happy with it.   People find they do have to refinish it and when they strip it the product bleeds.  It was agreed that a chapter meeting with Sustainable Flooring as a program would be great to have.   There is so much on the market and it is something we all will have to deal with in the future.

Single Stream Recycling -  This is something that many facilities in Northern Vermont have been participating in for a few years. They send their recycling to the processing facility in Burlington.   Jay Welenc just had the opportunity to visit the single stream processing facility in Charlestown, Mass.  It is owned and operated by Casella  who promotes their system of collection as "Zero Sort".   Jay was very impressed with the operation of the plant.  All recycling is collected in one container including all plastics  (1 to 7) and then sorted by machine at this plant.  They use air, magnets, gravity, etc.. to do the sorting.  The company claims they only have a 2% contamination in their bales.  The plastics are all going to China.  They have found that cities and towns can increase their rates for recycling from 20% to 40% or more by going to the single stream process.  Many institutions are going this way too.

Other Work Issues - Many other topics were covered including how to deal with difficult employees.  

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