Streator, Illinois is said to be “A Quiet Surprise on the Prairie”, and while this accolade is no doubt meant in a flattering way, there are some quiet surprises in town that are not so pleasant. What are we speaking of? Bed bugs, of course.
As a celebrated town with a lovely community, it’s no surprise that Streator has some of the best healthcare facilities around. Healthcare professionals are attentive and usually flawless in making sure there are no unwanted surprises, but sometimes they fail. They are human, after all. The worst quiet surprise for any healthcare facility would be a large-scale bed bug infestation.
Why Are Bed Bugs Attracted To Healthcare Facilities?
Bed bugs are nocturnal bloodsuckers that like to feast on human blood while we are asleep. So, they are bound to gravitate towards facilities with a lot of people. Nothing fits the bill like a healthcare facility. Whether it’s a hospital, urgent care clinic, or a doctor’s office, bed bugs can become a particular problem for healthcare establishments.
Aside from human blood, bed bugs are most attracted to warmth and humidity. Where better to seek shelter than a busy long-term care facility or hospice? Not only do the bed bugs get to feed on a selection of patients every night, but they’re in a place where there’s a lot of beds, a lot of humans coming in and out, and a lot of linens that are ideal for hiding and transporting themselves to infest other rooms.
Healthcare facilities have a high patient turnover and a frequent influx of visitors. Combine that with the fact that bed bugs love to breed wherever they detect the highest presence of human activity, and we’ve got ourselves an infestation.
How To Prevent Bed Bug Infestations
Unfortunately, bed bug infestations indicate a poor quality of hygiene. It implies that your facility doesn’t maintain regular sanitation practices and irresponsibly allows pests to come in from the outside. Healthcare facilities in particular are very sensitive environments. It’s essential that you’re aware of the signs so you can prevent a bed bug problem from spreading.
Exposing patients, visitors, and employees to a harmful infestation of hungry bed bugs can result in bad exposure and expensive legal issues. Needless to say, you’ll want to reduce the risk of bed bugs in your healthcare facility completely.
Wash and dry everything at very hot temperatures to kill off bed bugs in all stages of development.
Maintain regular cleaning and laundry practices, especially of dirty hospital gowns and soiled linens.
Identify potential sources of entry and quarantine infested areas and materials for treatment.
Inspect all items before allowing them into your establishment including furniture, luggage, clothing, etc.
Vacuum and steam clean areas that are prone to infestation like around beds, furniture, floors, and walls.
Reduce clutter as piles with many crevices are ideal hiding places for bed bugs.
Come up with a proactive treatment plan and educate employees on how to identify and handle the issue.
The most effective way to deal with a bed bug infestation is to call in the pest management professionals. Contact our team of experts at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators to protect your patients, their loved ones, and your employees. Partner with our licensed technicians for top of the line pest control treatments and monitoring services. We offer regular detection programs and periodic inspections for both residential and commercial clients in Streator and the surrounding areas. For over 90 years, we have been servicing the communities of LaSalle and Livingston counties, and we look forward to adding you to our long list of satisfied customers.