dedicated elevators

[citylmt7]

HELP i have been informed by my facilities department we no longer have to use separate elevators to transport dirty commodes, IV pumps etc. They can be transported on the same elevator with a clean pt dietary cart. Surely this is wrong. Where do i find the standard? Infection Control is not much help, as we have no manager at the present. Any and all comments would be appreciated.

[Harvey Johnson]

AAMI ST 79 Section 3.3.7.1 addresses having dedicated lifts for contaminated items.

[David Freeman]

The only issue I see is with the commodes. Yuch! :mad: Patients use the elevators going to and from treatments with their IV pumps all the time. Why is one not attached to a patient any different? In a previous life, I had my techs clean the commodes at the dirty utility rooms where the nursing staff left them. Then they could bag them and transport to storage. Where I am now, EVS takes care of it, just like rest rooms in the patient rooms.

[Harvey Johnson]

I see your point now.
I thought you were writing about the sterile processing dept elevators.
Environmental Services handles the commode issue here also.
Our CSPD picks up equipment twice daily on rounds and transports back for processing on a covered cart, using the staff elevators.
AAMI ST 79 section 6.4 and 6.5 addresses transporting contaminated items using containment.