Session2.2Are Sinks Even Necessary

Session 2.2

Are Sinks Even Necessary in Healthcare Settings?

Time: 1440 - 1510 | Venue: The NAK Auditorium, Academia

The hospital-built water system is an ideal place for bacteria to proliferate. In particular, sinks and the pipes that drain them have recently been implicated as a source for multiple outbreaks and sporadic transmission events of bacteria from the environment to patients. This is due to the formation of “biofilms” – communities of bacteria and other organisms attaching to a surface and proliferating together.

Getting rid of biofilms once they form is extremely difficult. Hospitals have tried many different cleaning methods, but these generally only lower the bacterial count for a while until they rebound. Implementation of waterless care - including removal of sinks from patient care areas - is an emerging approach to reduce waterborne infections in specific areas of the hospital. This approach, however, requires significant changes to traditional work practices and acceptance by healthcare workers for successful transition.

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