Kimberly-Clark Professional and Kimberly-Clark Healthcare recently joined forces with the Royal College of Nursing in the United Kingdom to help stamp out Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA, a rapidly spreading organism, and one of the most virulent hospital acquired infections (HAIs) that killed 9,000 people last year in the UK.

Together with Nursing Standard and the Infection Control Nurses Association, the two Kimberly-Clark businesses joined together to launch the “Wipe It Out” campaign on April 26 to help educate members of the Royal College of Nursing and other health care workers about how to protect themselves and their patients with proactive hygiene tactics.

“We are delighted to be working with Kimberly-Clark because they have extensive experience in the area of hygiene and infection control that will help drive the fight against MRSA, and they are committed to the ongoing education of health care professionals,” says Beverly Malone, general secretary for the Royal College of Nursing.

An educational role

The Wipe It Out campaign stresses practical advice on subjects ranging from hand hygiene to using personal protective equipment (such as gloves, face masks and cover gowns), safe handling and disposal of sharp instruments and chemical waste, managing blood and bodily fluids, decontaminating equipment, and achieving and maintaining a clean clinical environment.

“As a company which specializes in products designed to help health professionals maintain a hygienic clinical environment and control the spread of infection, we have an integral role to play in helping to stamp out MRSA,” says Graham Landi, Kimberly-Clark Professional’s UK General Manager. “We have always played a part in educating health professionals, and we have people visiting hospitals every day demonstrating correct hand-washing and -drying techniques. This campaign furthers that educational role, and we are delighted that the Royal College of Nursing asked us to be a part of it.”

Graham Landi, Kimberly-Clark Professional’s UK General Manager and K-C spokesperson for the Wipe It Out campaign, shakes hands with Beverly Malone, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing.

Since MRSA can be easily transmitted from individual to individual in any hospital setting, the campaign targets the Royal College of Nursing’s 380,000 members as well as the wider general public who are both hospital patients and visitors. In mid-May, “life-saving packs” from the Wipe It Out campaign will be distributed to hospitals throughout the United Kingdom. The packs will contain valuable information and materials detailing how patients, visitors and health care workers can help prevent the spread of MRSA. The campaign will also include parliamentary lobbying packs to promote the national recommendations as minimum standards.

In addition, the Wipe It Out campaign team has launched a Web site — www.rcn.org.uk/mrsa — that offers practical advice for preventing the spread of MRSA and other health-care-related illnesses, and encourages clinicians and visitors to “be part of the solution.”

Experience at work

Maintaining proper health and hygiene is the driving force behind the products K-C produces for both consumer and commercial use, which makes this campaign a perfect fit with our mission and values.

“At KCHC, we support the healing mission of caregivers by helping healthcare facilities implement solutions to achieve the safest environment for their staff and the best outcomes for the patients in their care,” said Luke Fryer, Kimberly-Clark’s UK General Manager. “Our customers depend on us for superior-performing products, as well as expertise in educating them on key issues, like MRSA. Our participation in the Wipe It Out campaign allows us to contribute in setting the standards for clinical best practices in infection control.”

For the Wipe It Out campaign, K-C is contributing extensive expertise gained from researching and developing the products that help hospitals provide healthy, sanitary environments for both health care workers and the patients they serve.

And while product promotion is not part of the Wipe It Out campaign, the proper use of some of K-C’s leading-edge products has been naturally spotlighted during the campaign. Examples include:

• K-C’s Tecnol* Fluidshield* facemasks, a patented and unique range of masks which revolutionized the face mask industry by offering customers a line of fluid resistant, yet breathable masks.
• The market leading SAFESKIN* PURPLE NITRILE glove, which has quickly become the glove of choice, particularly in situations where confident protection is required.
• A wide range of cover gowns, designed to protect the whole uniform preventing contamination and ensuring cross infection control in all clinical areas.
• Airflex® Hand Towels, a leading brand of hand towels in the health sector that feature unique air-dried technology to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria.
• Wypall® Colour Coded cloths that help hospitals distinguish between wipers intended for use in different hospitals areas, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Recognized commitment

K-C is the only commercial organization included as a partner in the Wipe It Out campaign. The Royal College of Nursing hand-picked K-C to participate in the campaign because of our extensive expertise in hygiene and infection control, as well as our ongoing commitment to educating health care professionals. In short, the RCN likes what K-C stands for and has described us as “compatible, ethically sound and committed to education.”

K-C leaders confirm that we have an active role to play in fighting the spread of MRSA through a combination of education support and a complete portfolio of hygiene and infection control products.

“We are working with the RCN to provide practical steps which – together with each hospital, doctor, nurse, patient and visitor – will help combat the MRSA problem,” says Don Kelly, European Health Care Marketing Segment Manager for Kimberly-Clark Professional. “We have spent many years understanding the correct measures that people need to take to ensure best practice with hygiene and infection control, and this is one way we can pass on that knowledge to others.”

This story appeared in the May 18 issue of Kimberly-Clark's internal newsletter, @ K-C News. Reprinted with permission.
By Alicia Rose Bell, Contributing Writer May 18, 2005