User Manual

Patient Safeguard System – Dispenser Beacon User’s Guide UltraClenz, LLC
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4.0 How the System Works
When a Healthcare Worker (HCW) begins their shift, they will attach an assigned badge to their clothing in a
location above the waist that is clearly visible to HCW as well as others. The badge will be dormant with no
blinking LED visible. This is normal because the badge will go into a “sleep” state to conserve battery power
when not in use for a period of 30 minutes or more.
The first thing the HCW will do, after attaching their badge, is wash or sanitize their hands. The dispenser beacon
attached to the soap/sanitizer dispenser will communicate with the badge when the dispenser is activated. Even
though the badge is in a sleep state, it is always listening and the dispenser beacon’s communication will wake it
up. The badge will produce 3 quick beep tones with the second tone being lower in pitch than the first or third
tones. This indicates successful communications between the badge and the dispenser beacon. The badge will
then be set to the sanitary or clean state with the green LED blinking about once every 1.5 seconds. The HCW is
now ready to begin their normal work routine.
When the badge is set to the sanitary state, the badge starts an internal timer. If there is no interaction between
the HCW and a dispenser or patient bed, the timer will continue to increment. If the timer reaches 20 minutes, the
badge will automatically change from the sanitary state to the cautionary state. When this transition occurs, the
badge will produce 2 quick beep tones with both having the same pitch. This indicates to the HCW that the badge
has automatically changed state. The badge’s yellow LED will then blink about once every 1.5 seconds. The
cautionary state does not imply a violation of hand hygiene protocol. In this case, it is indicating to the HCW and
anyone else able to see the badge’s yellow LED that the HCW has not washed or sanitized their hands for at
least 20 minutes and that they may not approach a patient until doing so.
If the HCW does approach a patient while in the cautionary state, this event will be considered a violation of hand
hygiene protocol and the badge will change from the cautionary state to the warning state. The badge will
produce 3 quick beep tones with the second tone being lower in pitch than the first or third tones. This indicates
successful communications between the badge and the bed beacon located within the patient zone. The badge’s
red LED will then blink about once every 1.5 seconds. Immediately after changing to the warning state, the badge
will produce a rapid burst of 4 tones with each having a different pitch. This will be repeated 4 more times over
the next 20 seconds and will indicate to the HCW that they must wash/sanitize their hands immediately.
If the HCW approaches a patient while in the sanitary state, the badge will change to the cautionary state. The
badge will produce 3 quick beep tones with the second tone being lower in pitch than the first or third tones. This
indicates successful communications between the badge and the bed beacon located within the patient zone.
The badge’s yellow LED will then blink about once every 1.5 seconds. The cautionary state does not imply a
violation of hand hygiene protocol. In this case, it is indicating to the HCW and anyone else able to see the
badge’s yellow LED that the HCW is currently in contact with a patient or has had contact with a patient within the
last 5 minutes.
While the HCW is inside the patient zone, their badge will remain in the cautionary state. When the HCW leaves
the patient zone, the badge starts an internal timer. If there is no interaction between the HCW and a dispenser,
after leaving the patient zone, the timer will continue to increment. If the timer reaches 5 minutes, the badge will
automatically change from the cautionary state to the warning state. When this transition occurs, the badge will
produce 2 quick beep tones with both having the same pitch. This indicates to the HCW that the badge has
automatically changed state. Immediately after changing to the warning state, the badge will produce a rapid
burst of 4 tones with each having a different pitch. This will be repeated 4 more times over the next 20 seconds
and will indicate to the HCW that they must wash/sanitize their hands immediately.
A HCW may contact a patient, leave the patient zone briefly and then re-contact the same patient without
washing/sanitizing their hands. However, the HCW may not re-contact the patient without first using a
soap/sanitizer dispenser if they are outside of the patient zone for more than 1 minute. As long as the HCW
remains inside the patient zone, their badge will remain in the cautionary state. When the HCW leaves the patient
zone, the badge starts an internal timer. If there is no interaction between the HCW and a dispenser, after leaving
the patient zone, the timer will continue to increment. If the HCW then reenters the patient zone and the internal
timer has not reached 1 minute, the badge will remain in the cautionary state and the internal timer will be reset.
However, if the HCW reenters the patient zone and the internal timer has reached or passed 1 minute, the badge