[Web4lib] RE: Germs and public keyboards

[ERIC M NAGAMINE]

It's that time of year when everyone is sniffling, coughing. etc.
Director is concerned mainly about staff going to pc's to help patrons 
with issues on the computer.
Many of our patrons are teens, and many are not to careful about 
handwashing,etc.
When staff touch an "infected" key board, then because they are busy, 
for get to use
hand sanitize, they catch whatever.
Does anyone use anything to help this situation.  The grocery has wipes 
for cart handles, but wiping a
keyboard that's in use can get pretty funky.  
I've heard of germ killing lights???
Sprays that work, don't gunk up the keyboard, and can actually be 
inhaled by a
living organism???



If you have any budget, there are washable keyboards. We use these in
our patient rooms.

The other option is to use things like Sani-Cloth (kills just about
every bad organism) and wipe down staff/public keyboards once a day.

Of course both involve staff time.  The best bet might be to have hand
cleaners like Purell in public service areas for staff to use. Just have
to get them into the habit even when busy. Healthcare staff are required
to do so before and after seeing patients. When we orient new employees,
we use Glow Germ and a black light to show them how a good hand washing
can be effective in infection control. Something to think about.

-----------------

Eric Nagamine, MEd., MLis               Phone: (808)-547-9495
Kuakini Medical Education Library       Fax: (808)-547-9867
Kuakini Health System
347 North Kuakini Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
e-mail: e.nagamine at kuakini.org