UNM Hospitals - Patient Toy Guidelines

It is the practice of the UNM Hospitals Clinical Operations that toys used by UNM HSC patients will be evaluated for safety, maintained and cleaned on a regular basis whether toys are purchased or received as a donation. These routine cleaning procedures for toys reduces the risk of nosocomial infection among pediatric patients and personnel.

Donated Toys:

Only toys that are clean and in good working order will be accepted.

All donated toys (not books, games, puzzles) will be cleaned prior to use, distribution or storage.

All toys, which cannot be cleaned or are in disrepair, will be discarded.

Toys made of fabric or fur are considered a "gift" to an individual child and are not shared with other children.

Cloth covered and stuffed toys are not re-used. These may be given only as individual toys to children to take home. Large stuffed animals are not used for display where there is the possibility that children may contact them.

Toys donated to Carrie Tingley Hospital (CTH) will be reviewed for safety concerns and cleanliness by the CTH Recreation office.

New Toys:

All new washable toys accepted for pediatric units are screened for safety by child life designee prior to being disinfected with an approved hospital disinfectant and rinsed with water.

All toys given to individual patients will be done so according to age appropriateness and patient's cognitive development as determined by the Rehabilitation staff (CTH) or Child Life designee.

Cleaning Toys:

Toys will be cleaned with an approved hospital germicide/disinfectant as frequently as possible throughout the day and at the end of the day. Toys are rinsed thoroughly when a disinfectant is used.

The entire toy should be immersed, when possible, in the germicide. If full immersion is not possible, spraying with germicide/disinfectant until the toy is wet should be done.

After cleaning with the germicide the toy should be rinsed thoroughly with water and dried or allowed to air-dry before re-use.

Staff handling soiled toys will wear gloves and observe standard infection control precautions.

Departmental staff monitors the cleaning of toys when toys and play materials are returned from patient's room.

Toys should not be circulated from room to room after children's discharge before they have been disinfected.

Washable-shared toys returned from the nursing units are disinfected with hospital-approved disinfectant and rinsed with water before being returned to the playroom stock.

Only individual toys will be used in therapeutic sessions, and will be washed immediately after use by the treating therapist or segregated until cleaned.

Doll clothing/blankets used for therapeutic purposes are laundered between each use if soiled or otherwise contaminated with body fluids.

Patients in Isolation:

Only washable toys are selected for use with children in isolation.

New toys/play materials will be given to patients in protective isolation.

Shared Toys/Play Material:

Children will wash their hands before and after "community play" activities.

If a toy is contaminated by respiratory secretions (nasal or oral) that toy must be cleaned immediately, or if that is not possible, it must be discarded.

Puzzles, books, games and the like will be discarded if grossly soiled.