Inspection checklist

Infection prevention walk-round checklist: clinical and waiting areas (international)

A walk-round checklist for clinical and waiting areas to check infection prevention practices, including cleanliness, hand hygiene, waste management, and staff knowledge.

Fill it in online - free, no account needed. 50 questions.

What it is for

This template provides a structured checklist for conducting infection prevention walk-rounds in healthcare clinical and waiting areas.

The full question list

1. Area and Environment

  1. Location of walk-round (e.g., 'Outpatient Clinic 3, Room 10') *
  2. Floors are visibly clean. *
  3. Floors are free from spills or debris. *
  4. Walls are visibly clean. *
  5. Walls are in good repair. *
  6. Ceilings are visibly clean. *
  7. Ceilings are in good repair. *
  8. High-touch surfaces (e.g., door handles, light switches, bed rails) are visibly clean. *
  9. Patient waiting areas are visibly clean. *
  10. Patient waiting areas are free from clutter. *
  11. Ventilation grilles are visibly clean. *
  12. Ventilation grilles are free from dust accumulation. *

2. Hand Hygiene Facilities

  1. Alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) dispensers are available at points of care in all clinical rooms checked. *
  2. ABHR dispensers are at least one-third full. *
  3. Handwashing sinks are clean. *
  4. Handwashing sinks are unobstructed. *
  5. Soap dispensers are available at all handwashing sinks. *
  6. Soap dispensers are at least one-third full at all handwashing sinks. *
  7. Paper towel dispensers are stocked at all handwashing sinks. *
  8. Waste receptacles are available next to handwashing sinks for used paper towels. *

3. Equipment and Supplies

  1. Patient care equipment (e.g., blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes) is visibly clean. *
  2. Patient care equipment (e.g., blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes) is stored appropriately. *
  3. Clean and sterile supplies are stored separately from dirty items. *
  4. Clean and sterile supplies are stored separately from used items. *
  5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (e.g., gloves, masks, gowns) is readily available. *
  6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (e.g., gloves, masks, gowns) is accessible. *
  7. PPE is stored in a clean, dry area, protected from contamination. *
  8. No single-use items are visibly marked for re-use. *

4. Waste Management

  1. Sharps containers are available where sharps are used. *
  2. Sharps containers are not filled above the designated fill line. *
  3. Clinical waste is segregated into appropriate colour-coded bags. *
  4. Clinical waste is segregated into appropriate colour-coded containers. *
  5. General waste bins are available. *
  6. General waste bins are lined with appropriate bags. *
  7. Waste receptacles are emptied regularly. *
  8. Waste receptacles are not overflowing. *

5. Cleaning and Disinfection Practices

  1. Cleaning schedules are posted for the current period. *
  2. Cleaning schedules are visibly signed off for the current period. *
  3. Cleaning equipment (e.g., mops, buckets) is clean. *
  4. Cleaning equipment (e.g., mops, buckets) is stored dry. *
  5. Disinfectants are stored correctly. *
  6. Disinfectants are within their expiry dates. *

6. Staff Knowledge (Asked)

  1. Staff member interviewed can describe the correct hand hygiene procedure. *
  2. Staff member interviewed can identify where to find the organisation's infection prevention policies. *
  3. Staff member interviewed can describe the correct procedure for managing a blood or body fluid spill. *

7. Records and Follow-up

  1. Any immediate actions taken during the walk-round (e.g., 'Restocked ABHR dispenser in Room 3').
  2. Further actions recommended (e.g., 'Review cleaning schedule for waiting area').

8. Sign-off

  1. Completed by (Name) *
  2. Date and time of completion *
  3. Signature *

References

How the score works

The score is the share of scored questions that pass. N/A is left out of the score; text, dates and signatures are recorded but not scored. A completed template is a record of what you checked; it is not an inspection by a regulator or an accreditation body.

Questions

How often should this walk-round be completed?

The frequency depends on your organisation's infection control policy, but regular checks (e.g., weekly or monthly) are recommended.

Who should conduct this walk-round?

Typically, an infection control lead, ward manager, or a designated member of the facility management team.