Manikin Hygiene: Ensuring Cleanliness and Safety

Understanding the Importance of Clean Manikins

Manikins serve as the shop window for many businesses. The first impression is vital, and thus, ensuring a clean appearance is paramount. Not only do customers want to see a spotless manikin, but they also appreciate the knowledge that hygiene measures are in place.

General Manikin Maintenance

When transporting and storing, always place manikins in their protective bags to maintain cleanliness. It's not just the obvious areas; marks often appear on manikins, be it from AED pads, dirty hands, or merely resting on the floor. It's crucial to ensure the manikin's exterior remains clean, but always be cautious with the cleaning products used. Always refer to the manufacturer's instructions to avoid using corrosive agents that might harm the manikin's structure.

Training Best Practices

• Encourage students to wear gloves during CPR training. This not only promotes best practice but also ensures less grease transfer onto the manikin.
• After each student performs mouth-to-mouth, ensure the manikin's mouth area is sanitised. Manikin wipes can be useful for this purpose. Never neglect the inside of the mouth – this is vital to prevent dirt and mould build-up.
• Make disposal bins available for used wipes. This encourages cleanliness and reduces the instructor's cleanup workload.
• Consider using manikin face shields or pocket masks to reduce direct contact. These can also serve as handy giveaways in training packs.

Advanced Cleaning Measures

Some manikins, like the PractiMan advanced, allow for the face to be completely removed. This feature enables thorough cleaning and sterilisation of the face after each use. On starting a course, you can differentiate between clean and used faces, demonstrating a commitment to hygiene. This feature is also present in the Brad manikin, which offers individual mouthpieces for each student.

Advanced Manikin Features

• Both PractiMan and Brad manikins come equipped with one-way valves. This ensures that air blown in does not get exhaled back, minimising the spread of infections.
• The PractiMan can be adjusted to simulate both a child and an adult and features a 'clicker' that can be toggled on or off.
• The Brad manikin, although more expensive, is robust and reliable.

Cleaning and Replacing the Airway System

For manikins without removable faces, disinfecting the entire airway system is crucial. Advanced models like the QCPR manikin require more intricate cleaning processes. Detailed instructions are available on the instructor's blog and website.

Documentation: Keeping a Record

It's essential to document cleaning practices. Consider maintaining a Manikin Hygiene record sheet. This can help track which manikins were used on which dates, ensuring they were cleaned, and noting if lung replacements were conducted. Proper documentation serves as evidence of thorough hygiene practices should any issues arise in the future.