While following the MIFUs will certainly improve cleaning and disinfection, it may not provide a completely disinfected surface. MIFUs for cleaning and disinfecting mattresses require multi-step processes,40-42 as opposed to the 1-step process used by many facilities and are likely more effective than using UV light since mattresses are soft surfaces.47 But while the FDA Reprocessing Guidance mandates that manufacturers validate their instructions for use for cleaning and disinfection,23 Trinity Guardion is unaware of any published research that shows manual cleaning processes, including following MIFUs, can achieve even low-level disinfection on hospital mattresses. Additionally, the FDA does not require manufacturers to validate their cleaning and disinfection MIFU for C. diff while the Support Surface Standards Initiative (S3I), the standards body for healthcare mattresses in the U.S., admits in their cleaning/disinfection guidance, “Prevention of serious disease transmission may require more aggressive interventions.”39 C. diff is likely the most challenging organism in a facility, as it remains the most common HAI in the United States.50 Peer-reviewed research has demonstrated that both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients contribute C. diff spores to the environment.51-54 Therefore, disinfection protocols should be able to effectively address C. diff with
every cycle.
FOLLOW-UP: Ask your mattress vendor to provide you with the expected life of the mattress skin and mattress as defined by the IEC. You should also request that they provide any peer-reviewed research showing their cleaning/disinfecting process can kill 99.9999% of vegetative bacteria (low-level disinfection) throughout the entire expected life of the product.