In any hospital and medical setting, preventing the spread of germs is an essential aspect of disease control, especially in an age of hospital-acquired infections. Of course hand washing is an essential aspect to good clinical management, but keeping areas clean and preventing the build up of germs is just as essential.
Office equipment can harbour millions of germs; in particular, computer keyboards and computer mouse devices, as multiple users often use the same keyboard and mouse, transmitting bacteria from person to person. Furthermore, the design of most keyboards computer mice provides an ideal environment for bacteria to build-up, with the myriad nooks and crannies allowing cultures to spread.
In fact, the average keyboard harbours over 3,000 microbes and computer mice over 1,500, and most standard types are not easily cleaned, as the key impressions and mouse buttons are ideal places for bacteria to hide; not to mention that water and cleaning agents can damage standard keyboards and mice.
For clinics, surgeries, dentists and other medical settings, medical and washable keyboards are an essential aspect to infection control. Designed to prevent build-up of bacteria, the face of a medical keyboard does not have the gaps and cracks of conventional keyboards. The same is true with medical mouse devices.
Medical keyboards and mice are manufactured from bacteria resistant silicone that reduces the ability for bacteria cultures to stick to the surface, but more importantly, this material and there design allows cleaning of the devices with both water and common cleaning solutions used in medical environments.
As computers are so common in most medical settings now, using medical keyboards and mice with a regular cleaning routine can help reduce the spread of hospital-acquired infections and are an essential tool in modern medical settings.
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