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The safe use of children's toys within the healthcare setting

Kathryn Little1, Stanley Cutcliffe

  • 1Leeds North East Primary Care Trust.

Nursing Times
|October 5, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Toys in healthcare settings can spread infections due to contamination from unwashed hands and bodily fluids. Environmental audits reveal toys are often dirty and lack proper cleaning protocols, posing an infection risk.

Area of Science:

  • Infection Control
  • Microbiology
  • Healthcare Environmental Hygiene

Background:

  • Toys are recognized as potential reservoirs for microbial contamination in healthcare environments.
  • Contamination sources include unwashed hands, body fluids, and direct oral contact by children.
  • Previous environmental audits indicate frequent non-compliance with toy cleaning protocols in clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the microbial contamination levels on toys in healthcare facilities.
  • To evaluate the adherence to established toy disinfection and cleaning guidelines.
  • To highlight the role of toys in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

Main Methods:

  • Conducting environmental audits of toy hygiene in various healthcare settings.
  • Utilizing microbiological sampling techniques to identify and quantify microorganisms on toy surfaces.
  • Reviewing existing infection control policies and procedures related to toy management.

Main Results:

  • Toys in healthcare settings frequently exhibit significant microbial contamination.
  • A notable gap exists between recommended cleaning protocols and actual practices.
  • Specific microorganisms indicative of poor hygiene were identified on sampled toys.

Conclusions:

  • Toys represent a significant, often overlooked, vector for pathogen transmission in healthcare.
  • Strict adherence to and enforcement of toy cleaning protocols are crucial for infection prevention.
  • Improved toy hygiene management is essential to mitigate infection risks for vulnerable patient populations.

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