Decontamination methods for flexible nasal endoscopes.
- Resource Type
- Academic Journal
- Authors
- Javed, Faisal; Sood, Salil; Banfield, Graham
- Source
- British Journal of Nursing (BR J NURS), 8/14/2014; 23(15): 850-852. (3p)
- Subject
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 0966-0461
A national survey was carried out to investigate the current UK practice for decontaminating flexible nasal endoscopes. A postal questionnaire was sent to Sisters in Charge o f 200 ear, nose and throat (ENT) outpatient departments in the UK, with an overall response rate o f 60.5%. Decontamination with chlorine dioxide wipes was the most favoured method, used in 58% o f the hospitals that participated in this survey. Automated machines were also used in many places (34%). Only a few hospitals used flexible sheaths (7%). Many departments do not use a separate protocol for high-risk patients.