It is the Instructor’s responsibility to clean and decontaminate all equipment after each class in order to prevent disease transmission. Although the risk of infection during CPR training is very low, steps can be taken to protect yourself and your students by properly cleaning and disinfecting your manikins.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Manikins 101
Always have students use a CPR training shield or mask when practicing on a manikin, even if they each have their own manikin. If you have a large class, we recommend regularly wiping down your manikin faces with a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe and allowing a few minutes for drying time before having students jump back into practicing.
After class, disassemble each manikin as directed by the manufacturer and discard all used lung bags. Thoroughly wash all external surfaces with warm, soapy water and a brush. To disinfect, scrub and wipe down all surfaces with manikin cleaning wipes or standard household disinfecting wipes. You can also create your own disinfectant by using a mixture of ¼ cup liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Leave wiped surfaces wet with the solution for 10 minutes. Rinse all surfaces with fresh water and immediately dry all external and internal surfaces. Allow your manikins to finish air-drying before storing them for your next class.
Products to Clean Your CPR Manikins
There are many products on the market to help with ensuring your manikins are clean and ready to go for each class. Here are a few alternative cleaning methods that our Instructors use.
Always follow your manikin manufacturer’s recommendations and verify all products used to clean and disinfect are appropriate for your manikin.
Visit the EMS Safety online store for more Instructor and training supplies. Check out our blog for additional teaching tips!
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