COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
Keep your nebulizer clean.
Here's how and why:
The parts that get wet during the treatment must be cleaned to keep germs from growing on them.
You do not need to rinse the tubing that connects the machine to the medicine container.
Wash after every use: Wash the container and mouthpiece or mask with dish washing detergent under hot, running water.
Shake off the excess water and let the parts air dry. Remove any mucus or medicine stuck to the machine or tubing.
Disinfect at least three times a week:
Even with washing after every use, germs can still grow on the nebulizer parts.
These germs can cause lung infection.
Soak the nebulizer parts in diluted white vinegar or the disinfecting solution.
Rinse the parts after soaking, and let them air dry.
This should kill most or all of the germs on the nebulizer parts.
Stay healthy and germ free through out the holiday season and through out the year.
Love,
Holly
Here's how and why:
The parts that get wet during the treatment must be cleaned to keep germs from growing on them.
You do not need to rinse the tubing that connects the machine to the medicine container.
Wash after every use: Wash the container and mouthpiece or mask with dish washing detergent under hot, running water.
Shake off the excess water and let the parts air dry. Remove any mucus or medicine stuck to the machine or tubing.
Disinfect at least three times a week:
Even with washing after every use, germs can still grow on the nebulizer parts.
These germs can cause lung infection.
Soak the nebulizer parts in diluted white vinegar or the disinfecting solution.
Rinse the parts after soaking, and let them air dry.
This should kill most or all of the germs on the nebulizer parts.
Stay healthy and germ free through out the holiday season and through out the year.
Love,
Holly
It so important to keep the nebulizer parts clean, cos they sure can make us sick if they are left unclean and collect germs and bacteria.
Thanks for telling us your story Serenity..
Love Holly
That was a poor experience and poor hospital standard Serenity, sorry you had to go through that. I hope when you were feeling up to it you did report the incident to the hospital's patient care team, for the sake of any other respiratory patient attending the hospital and to help maintain high standards in healthcare within St Catherine's NY.
St Cathrine's NY state:
Health Care Excellence Close to Home
They need to be made aware of your experience so that it is not likely to occur again in the future.
This sort of incident gives them a bad name, and just by your mentioning it here could easily have repercussions for them.
Holly I don't use a nebulizer but this is precisely the sort of information people need to know so they don't accept such poor hygiene in hospitals and they can better look after their own equipment at home.