Sometimes it feels like hell.
Here is what Expressen reporter Anna Bäsén wrote not long ago:
During two meetings with the management at Södersjukhuset, Expressen presented the results of the more than 90 spot checks we conducted using ATP-meter a two-week period inside the hospital.
More than half of the samples showed elevated levels, indicating that it was not clean.
In many cases, contamination levels in critical patient-care areas were well above the permitted limit.
“That’s a very serious matter if that’s the case, and we must, of course, look into this. Obviously, hospitals should be clean; it’s part of patient safety,” says Chief Medical Officer Eva Tillman.
But how do you make sure it gets clean? You don't actually measure dirt, do you?
– We do both, as needed. We also conduct measurements if we deem it necessary. ATP is a controversial method, and we believe it is essential to include it in the training of cleaning staff.
Of the surfaces I sampled, many critical patient-contact surfaces were really dirty. Is that supposed to be the case?
– No, of course not.
Is this safe and secure for patients when the data shows that the hospital is dirty?
– Of course, hospitals shouldn’t be dirty. Cleaning is extremely important.
I timed how much time I had for each cleaning area. In some areas, it could be as little as two minutes per room. Is it reasonable to expect that you can clean thoroughly in that amount of time?
– We don’t keep track of that; it’s the cleaning contractor’s responsibility.
Read more in Anna Bäsén’s shocking series of articles in Expressen about our ailing hospitals:
Hidden meter reveals life-threatening contamination
Published Oct. 18, 2015, at 6:57 a.m.