Thank you for continuing our series, Bed Bugs in Institutions. In the past month or so, you have learned about the origin of bed bugs, the fact that bed bugs may result in the development of anemia and asthma, the dangers of insecticides, the steps to preventing and infestation and reducing the size of a current population, the detrimental effects of an infestation being present in a healthcare setting, and the steps that are necessary to determine that bed bugs are to blame for bites that patients are experiencing and not other types of insects. Starting this week, we will be outlining how to establish a highly integrated management approach to the pests.
The Integrated Management Approach
You have learned, throughout this series, that the use of insecticides should be avoided when it comes to the healthcare-based institutional setting. Instead, an integrated management approach should be taken. That is, your institution should take certain steps in order to minimize the overall risks associated with exposure to common bed bug treatment methods and dealing with bed bugs before they become a serious problem. This approach involves taking the following steps:
- All areas within your institution should be inspected on a regular basis for signs of a potential infestation.
- If you feel that you have stumbled upon signs of an infestation, you must be certain that the signs are being left by bed bugs, and not other types of pests.
- When signs of bed bugs or the bed bugs themselves have been identified, you should make a record of the event. This record should include the dates and the location.
- If signs are present that bed bugs abound in your healthcare institution, you should make certain to clean all items in the infested area with hot water.
- Clutter should not be permitted within your facility. This only aids the bed bugs in discovering places to hide.
- If you discover a habitat for bed bugs, that should be destroyed – immediately.
- You should treat your facility with bed bug heat treatments if signs of an infestation are present. Furthermore, once the presence of an infestation has been identified, you should have heat treatments performed in your facility on a regular schedule to avoid the onset of a new infestation in the future.
- Inspections should be completed at regular intervals in your healthcare institution to ensure that new infestations are not present.
- All of the faculty and staff members of your institution should be educated on the prevention of bed bugs and identifying the signs of an infestation.
- You should develop a close working relationship with your local pest control company. It is important to only opt for those facilities that offer heat treatments for bed bugs.
Conclusion
Here at All Pest Exterminating Inc., we believe that it is very important for healthcare institutions to be aware of the potential dangers associated with bed bugs. Not only do we offer a vast array of education to those that seek it on these pests, but, we are the only pest control company that offers heat treatments. These types of treatments are considered to be the absolute safest for healthcare settings. If you would like more information about bed bugs, or would like to learn about our heat treatments for bed bugs, call us today: 765-259-0043
