Navigating Winter Challenges: Hospital Macerator Maintenance
Navigating Winter Challenges: Hospital Macerator Maintenance
Hospitals rely on various systems and products to ensure the smooth running of wards and departments and keeping up best practice in infection prevention. A crucial component to a any hospital ward, is the human waste disposal macerator system. Playing a vital role in the disposal of human waste, a working and efficient hospital macerator is needed at all times to protect the safety of patients and healthcare professionals from healthcare-associated infections. However, winter brings unique challenges, meaning your macerator needs extra care and attention throughout the next few months.
1. Declining temperatures and risk of freeze
Healthcare facilities are typically maintained at a controlled temperature, but external weather factors can still affect water systems. Cold weather, particularly freezing temperatures, can potentially cause blockages to water systems and damage any macerator components.
2. Increase in hospital strain
The cold weather and winter season usually brings with it an increase in infections and illnesses including influenza and pneumonia, meaning more patients staying in hospitals and in turn, more human waste disposal needed. An increased demand in use can add additional strain to any macerator system, and the additional pressures can often lead to misuse and overuse, plus general wear and tear due to the increase. Healthcare professionals should ensure correct usage of a hospital macerator, including only disposing of the recommended amount of items at once, plus regular routine maintenance is advised. Here at Vernacare, we have a dedicated Technical Support team who offer comprehensive support packages, and can help you mitigate the winter challenges.
How to tackle the winter pressure
Unfortunately, we can’t change the weather or temperatures, nor can we definitely predict when an extreme storm may hit, but, we can prepare for what may occur.
Purchase a spare macerator
A simple solution to reduce the winter pressure is to purchase hospital spares of efficient macerators, ensuring you always have an extra on hand incase of any emergency outages, or to counteract any increase in human waste disposal needs.
Why do you need to invest in a spare hospital macerator?
1. Continue workload with no interruptions
Maintaining a backup macerator ensures ongoing provision of safe and hygienic care in the event of a maintenance issue or malfunction, without compromising on the safety of patients and staff.
2. Minimise the need for downtime
Regular maintenance is necessary for a hospital macerator, involving a certain amount of required downtime. Nevertheless, having an extra macerator reduces the frequency of this downtime, guaranteeing a consistently operational macerator at all times. This practice upholds infection prevention protocols and maintains standards of patient care without interruption.
3. Keep up your infection prevention standards
Having an additional macerator guarantees prompt resolution of any problems with the primary unit, preventing the accumulation of human waste in your sluice room and mitigating the risk of infection.
4. Reduce your costs in the long term
Preventing extended periods of inactivity and the need for emergency repairs to a primary unit can result in cost savings. Additionally, continuous operations can reduce expenses for healthcare facilities by eliminating the necessity to reschedule appointments and procedures, as well as minimising hospital stays.
5. Be prepared for changing patient volumes
Possessing an extra macerator enables you to address this surge in demand, guaranteeing that heightened patient volumes do not compromise your infection prevention protocols. This ensures the disposal of all human waste without sacrificing patient care or hygiene standards.
6. Be ready for the unexpected
Disruptions in a healthcare setting pose significant challenges, underscoring the importance of acquiring an additional hospital macerator as a vital investment. Upholding the utmost standards of care is essential, and having a backup hospital macerator enhances overall efficiency and elevates the quality of patient care.
Save on a Vortex Air macerator if you purchase before 31st March 2024.
Don’t be caught short if your healthcare facility experiences any outages or an increased strain, stock up spare hospital macerators now. Make the most of our New Year sale and save up to 10% off a Vortex Air macerator.
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