SKIN: AT RISK,YET OVERLOOOKEDPatient bath water is a proven, significant source ofhigh-level bacteria contamination. In fact, the highbacteria count in bath water is similar to the numberin urine from patients with UTIs. 4 Other basin uses,including emesis and incontinence cleanup, increasethe risk. Nurses frequently make contact withequipment, including sink handles, wherecontaminated water is disposed. This can exposeeveryone in the room to potential contamination.CDC GUIDELINESFor Environmental InfectionControl in Healthcare Facilities 5,*Recommendations - WaterI. Controlling the Spread of WaterborneMicroorganismsB. Eliminate contaminated water or fluidenvironmental reservoirs wherever possible(e.g., in equipment or solutions). Category IBCategory IB. Strongly recommended for implementation and supported by certainexperimental, clinical, or epidemiologic studies and a strong theoretic rationale.A QUADRUPLE THREATOne peer-reviewed paper states,“traditional bathingpresents a quadruple threat to the skin.” 6 The fourthreats cited are:■ Cleansers that are often drying and can alterthe skin’s pH■ Harsh, rough washcloths■ Hot water’s drying effect on the skin■ Bathing is often performed with force and frictionin an attempt to achieve cleanliness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FORSKIN INSPECTIONNearly half of all pressure ulcers develop in the hospital. 7In high risk patients, they can develop in a matter ofhours. 8 Still, stage I and II pressure ulcers—the mostnurse-sensitive skin injuries—are often not documented. 9Although non-licensed staff are often most likely to givebed baths, they may not be trained to recognize changesin skin condition. Each bath could be a missed opportunityto thoroughly inspect skin, communicate problems andapply preventative measures.* Excerpt from recommendations of CDC and HICPAC.800-323-22204
COMFORT BATH ® :REPLACE THE BASIN WITHPREPACKAGED BATHINGComfort Bath Cleansing Washcloths eliminate thecontamination risk from bath basins and help facilitiescomply with CDC infection control guidelines. 1 All ComfortBath products feature Skin Check. This peel-off guide helpsfacilities improve skin monitoring and reporting, all whileaddressing CMS reimbursement mandates 2 and otherimportant patient safety initiatives, including The JointCommission. 3 With over 75% of the market, Comfort Bathproducts are trusted by more hospitals than all otherprepackaged bathing products combined! 4PROVEN HYGIENICAND COST-EFFECTIVEComfort Bath’s formula contains USP purified water, 5so you never have to worry about contaminated tap water.These disposable washcloths also eliminate crosscontaminationbecause each body area is cleansed separately.As an AJCC study found, Comfort Bath effectively cleanedwhile offering fewer opportunities to recontaminate the skin. 6pH close tohealthy skinComfort Bath’s pH mirrorsthat of healthy skin, andour dematologist-testedformula is proven gentleand non-irritating. 7Comfort Bath4.7 - 4.9 pHAcidNormal Healthy Skin4.5 - 5.5 pHDeodorant Bar Soaps9.5 - 12.0 pHAlkalineREFERENCES: 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for environmental infection control in health-care facilities: recommendations of CDC and Healthcare InfectionControl Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). MMWR 2003;52 (No. RR-10):5,14. 2. Federal Register Vol. 72 No. 162, 2007 Aug: 47201-47205. 3. 2009 Hospital/Critical AccessHospital National Patient Safety Goals. Joint Commission, 2009. 4. GHX Trend Report (Dollars), 1st Quarter, 2010 Hospital. Annualized markets based on last 4 quarters data. 5. Meetsstandards set by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). 6. Larson EL, et al., Am J Crit Care. May 2004;13(3):235-41. 7. West DP, Scheman A, 21-day cumulative irritancy patch test:Comfort Bath ® Cleansing System. Northwestern Univ Dept of Dermatology, Chicago IL,May/June 1998. 8. Stone S, et al., Removal of bath basins to reduce catheter-associated urinarytract infections. Poster presented at APIC 2010, New Orleans, LA, July 2010. 9. McGuckin M, Shubin A, Interventional Patient Hygiene (IPH): case study at the bedside. University ofPennsylvania, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehab, Philadelphia, PA. Presented at the American Professional Wound Care Association National Conference, Philadelphia, PA, April2007. 10. Skiba B, Comfort Bath Cleansing System from <strong>Sage</strong> <strong>Products</strong> vs. the basin bath: patient preference. Chicago, IL 2000. 11. Kron-Chalupa J, et al., The basinless bath: a studyon skin dryness and patient satisfaction. Iowa City VA Medical Center.5 www.sageproducts.com