Clinician organizing single-Use equipment

3M Single-Use and Single-Patient Use Solutions

Everyday practices that can increase infection risk

It is estimated that 1 in 25 patients will contract an infection during their hospital stay.¹ While sources of infection vary, one common source of transmission is cross- or residual-contamination from medical equipment, medical instruments and medical supplies.

The data is especially alarming among high-touch products that are used with multiple patients, including medical tapes, stethoscopes and electrocardiogram leadwires, as healthcare workers often carry these products from room-to-room without proper storage, cleaning or disinfection between use.

Increasing awareness on the benefits of single-use items

The rapid spread of COVID-19 within long-term care facilities further demonstrated the ease of transmission and need for heightened precautions in all care settings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and European Center for Disease Prevention and Control all updated recommendations to mention the importance of dedicated medical equipment or the disinfection of non-critical patient-care devices for patients with known or suspected COVID-19.

However, even prior to COVID-19, the use of dedicated non-critical medical equipment for patients on transmission-based precautions was shown to prevent disease transmission.⁵

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and Infectious Disease Society of America also released guidance about the use of single-patient use and individually packaged products as a strategy for reducing the risk of cross-contamination, and the transmission of pathogens such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C.diff).^6,7

Left image single-use tape, right image patient in hospital bed with visitor

Reducing the risk of cross-contamination with individually packaged single-patient use rolls

Adding individually packaged single-patient use rolls to already established infection prevention and control protocols can help minimize exposure to environmental contaminates, hospital surfaces, equipment and healthcare worker hands.

Why are tapes potential sources of contamination?

A survey by the American Journal of Infection Control showed that:

Multiple facilities had no existing policies or standards of care relating to tape storage and use.²
Tape was stored in open bins in clean supply rooms which were not regularly cleaned.²

Exploring 3M Solutions

Products across many 3M portfolios are available in either single-patient use or single-use formats.

Single-Patient Use Products
Our single-patient use products are intended for use with only one patient.

Single-Use Products
Single-use products are intended to be used once and discarded.

Stethoscopes
Dec 1, 1901
Medical tapes and wraps
Dec 1, 1901
Warming blankets and gowns
Dec 1, 1901
Surgical clipper blades
Dec 1, 1901
Disinfecting port protectors
Dec 1, 1901
Nasal antiseptic
Dec 1, 1901
ECG/EKG electrodes and leadwires
Dec 1, 1901
Skin protectants
Dec 1, 1901

Mitigating the Risk of Infectious Disease Spread Through Contamination Prevention

3M Medical Director Matthew Cooper, MD, MBA, FACS, offers tips to help protect healthcare workers, individual patients and larger groups in your facility, including single-patient use products and hand hygiene protocols. Read more on our Transforming Outcomes blog.

READ THE BLOG POST

3M is your team behind the scenes.

You’re being asked to do more with less and balance ongoing healthcare-acquired infection (HAI) initiatives with pandemic response. Whether it is trying to navigate new and changing guidelines, finding alternative product solutions or providing supplemental education to staff, 3M is here to help – both virtually and, if appropriate, in-person.

CONNECT WITH A 3M SPECIALIST

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1-800-228-3957

References

_{1. National and state healthcare-associated infections (HAI) progress report. Center for Disease Control and Prevention web site. https://www.cdc.gov/hai/surveillance/progress-report/index.html. Published March 3, 2016. Accessed November 1, 2017

2. McClusky J, Davis M, Dahl K. A gap in patient tape storage and use practices puts patients at risk for cutaneous fungal infections. Am J Infect Control. 2015;43(2):182-184. (citation for first and second medical tape stat)

3. Jancin, Bruce. “Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens Found on 77% of ECG Lead Wires.” Cardiology News. 2(3) (2004):14.

4. O'Flaherty N, Fenelon L. The stethoscope and healthcare-associated infection: a snake in the grass or innocent bystander? The Journal of Hospital Infection. 2015;91:1-7. (citation for first stethoscope stat)

5. Siegel JD, Rhinehart E, Jackson M, Chiarello L, and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings. https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/isolation/. Updated October 2017. Accessed December 12, 2017.

6. Dubberke ER, Carling P, Carrico R, et al. Strategies to Prevent Clostridium difficile Infections in Acute Care Hospitals: 2014 Update. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 2014;35(S2):S48-S65. doi:10.1017/S0899823X00193857.

7. Calfee DP, Salgado CD, Milstone AM, et al. Strategies to Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission and Infection in Acute Care Hospitals: 2014 Update. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 2014;35(7):772-796. doi:10.1086/676534.

8. Love, Kari L. "Single-patient rolls of medical tapes reduce cross-contamination risk." Infect Control Today 17.1 (2013): 48-50.}