Abstract
Ice is used for several different reasons in hospitals for patient care including treatment and comfort, and patients appreciate the cooling effect of ice particularly when fluids are difficult to consume. Ice machines are one of the ways of delivering ice and are supplied with water. Care has to be taken in the installation, service, and maintenance to ensure that the water to the unit, the tubing, ice, and dispensing area does not become contaminated with microorganisms. However, there are several documented outbreaks where patients have been infected with bacteria including Legionella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and nontuberculous mycobacteria. Staff need to ensure that vulnerable and immunocompromised patients are protected from the inherent microbiological risks posed by ice. This will require risk assessments, the involvement of procurement, estates, cleaning, and maintenance teams and nursing teams (those members of the water safety group) to ensure that microbiological risks are controlled.
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