Dec 18 2013
Effective infection control and decontamination in the healthcare sector is vital to public health.
Methods to continually monitor and treat contamination are a major concern globally. Decontamination in hospitals and healthcare brings an understanding of decontamination practices and the development of technologies for cleaning and control of infection to a wide audience interested in public health, including healthcare specialists, scientists, students or patients.
Part one highlights the importance and history of decontamination in hospitals and healthcare before exploring the role of standards in decontamination, infection control in Europe, and future trends in the area. Part two focuses on decontamination practices in hospitals and healthcare. Consideration is given to the role of the nurse in decontamination, the issues of microbial biofilm in waterlines, control of waterborne microorganisms and the use of gaseous decontamination technologies.
Further chapters explore decontamination of prions, the use of protective clothing, no-touch automated room disinfection systems and controlling the presence of microorganisms in hospitals. Part three discusses practices for decontamination and sterilisation of surgical instruments and endoscopes. A range of guidance documents including the choice framework for local policy and procedures for decontamination of surgical instruments are examined, as well as novel technologies for cleaning and detection of contamination.
Decontamination in hospitals and healthcare provides a reference source on decontamination for public health professionals and students concerned with healthcare. It is particularly useful for scientists in microbiology and disinfection/decontamination laboratories, healthcare workers who use disinfectants, students in microbiology, clinicians, members of the Institute of Decontamination Sciences/Central Sterilising Club and those employed in the Central Sterile Services departments of healthcare facilities.
Dr Jimmy Walker is a Water System Microbiology and Decontamination Expert in Public Health England’s Biosafety Unit at Porton Down, Salisbury, UK.
Decontamination in hospitals and healthcare (ISBN 978 0 85709 657 9) is published at £190.00/ US$315.00/ €230.00 (plus p&p) by Woodhead Publishing Limited, 80 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge, CB22 3HJ, UK. Tel: +44(0)1223 499140. Fax: +44(0)1223 832819. Email: [email protected]
Based in Cambridge, England, Woodhead Publishing is a leading international publisher of Biomedicine and Biomaterials books.
Review copies of Decontamination in hospitals and healthcare and all other Woodhead Publishing Biomaterials books are available on request. Free catalogues providing full details of our titles are available from Woodhead Publishing.