by Melissa Wrozier

Created on: October 02, 2007

Thousands of people use the emergency room everyday. Little do they know the dangers they encounter long before they ever see the nurse or doctor. As an experienced ER nurse I see so many people not thinking about what they are doing and putting themselves or their children at risk without being aware of it. So I felt compelled to write this article.

The next time your in the emergency room look around you. The more people in front of you the less likely your room is to have been cleaned properly before you get into it.

Once you get into your room notice the floor. It should be clean and free of blood or body fluids. Keep all items off the floor. Always wear shoes walking in the room and going back and forth to the bathroom, even, if the floor looks spotless. Many people come in with drinks and bags of food and sit them on the floor. Little did they know an accident victim was in right before them and the floor was contaminated with blood and body fluids.

The blood pressure cuffs are always used frequently in the ER. The cuff and blood pressure tubing should be free of blood and body fluids. Anything that touches you should be free of blood or body fluids. If you see any kind of fluid or stains request a new one or it be cleaned. Many times I have seen cuffs and tubing stained with previous patients blood on new patients arms and no one notices.

The linens should be free of stains. The room should be free of clutter from the previous patients. No stains are acceptable on anything.

Little children should not be allowed in the emergency room. If they must be in the ER they should have shoes on at all times. They should sit on someone's lap and not be allowed to wander or play with equipment or cabinets. No food should be fed to children in the ER. I have seen children fed food dropped, picked up and handed back to them to eat. There are needle buckets, trash cans and bio hazard containers they can stick their little hands into and become infected with a multitude of nasty germs and diseases. Some can be fatal. They should not be allowed to chew or suck on counters or chairs.

You should notice frequent hand washing by all staff members.

We are worried about the "Super Bugs" that are out there, but protecting ourselves from those bugs are our responsibility too. Take someone to the ER with you to watch out for you. The hospitals lack of cleanliness goes unnoticed by most people. Its time people start taking notice and pay attention. Just because your name is on a room doesn't mean it's clean and the only germs there are yours.

Demand cleanliness! If your room is dirty report it!

Learn more about this author, Melissa Wrozier.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.