Sinks, ice machines, and a little infection control

A little while back, I was asked about an under-the-sink area that was dirty with chipped Formica along the bottom of the sink cabinet. The same organization had dripping ice machines that were rusty.

As it turns out, there is a dual applicability to these problems, as they can be curtailed with normal management of utilities and infection control.

Less than clean conditions under sinks can be harbingers of infection control issues, and the ice machines can be indicative of inappropriately maintained equipment, particularly if the ice machine is used for anything other than ice packs.

From a cleaning standpoint, you can lose the battle very quickly in regards to calcification, etc., but it doesn’t void The Joint Commission’s expectation that this type of equipment will be managed appropriately.

If it’s a really ugly condition, throw it under standard IC.02.02.01 (reducing the risk of infections for medical equipment, devices, and supplies). From there, you can recommend a risk assessment to determine if the current conditions are reasonably acceptable, identify mitigation strategies, etc.