R Scott Hatfield
CEO & President of Infection Prevention Products Inc
Title: Plastic bags cause infections in healthcare
Biography
Biography: R Scott Hatfield
Abstract
The practice of storing a patient’s reusable respiratory device in plastic bags in both SNF and Hospitals cause infections.
Plastic bags cause Nosocomial Infections or HAI. Polyethylene plastic is the worst material found in a healthcare setting
for bacterial adherence and growth according to the Journal of Clinical Microbiology. The practice of storing a patient’s reusable
respiratory device in a plastic bag causes infections not only on the patient, but the bacteria from the patient can be easily
spread throughout a facility when plastic bags are replaced or simply touched. According to a study from PubMed, the
adherence of bacteria was the highest on polyethylene catheters. Bacterial adherence was 1,700% greater on polyethylene
vs. steel catheters. Studies done at CSUC documented the microbial adherence on a nasal cannula placed in a plastic bag vs. a
breathable polypropylene mesh bag. The recoverable bacteria decreased 84-99% in just one hour in the mesh bag compared
to that of the plastic bag. The respiratory region is the most vulnerable area on our body for contracting infections. 95% of
healthy human adults were infected with the cold virus when just 1-30 particles of the cold virus were place in their nostrils.
Infection Prevention Products Inc., will explain why plastic bags should not be used to store a patient’s reusable respiratory
device. Infection Prevention Products Inc., show studies where using a breathable moisture wicking pouch drastically reduces
infections in healthcare facilities compared to the use of plastic bags.