Decontamination

Introduction

Healthcare environmental hygiene is important to ensure that the physical environment does not contribute to infection with micro-organisms.

While good hand hygiene is important and is most commonly cited as the key to reducing infection it is essential that attention must also be given to the physical environment.

Content

• Methods of decontamination

~ Cleaning
~ Disinfection
~ Sterilisation

• Indications for the use of each method of decontamination