EOC Rounds: Small Details, Big Impact
- Missy Travis MSN RN CIC FAPIC
- Aug 26, 2025
- 2 min read
This month, we've been focusing on the Environment of Care (EOC)—an essential but often under-prioritized area of infection prevention. The physical environment where we work directly impacts patient, resident, and staff safety, so making it a part of your routine rounding is important.
Let’s talk about how to schedule your EOC rounds, and highlight two often-missed risks: splash zones and personal fans.
📅 EOC Rounds: Have You Scheduled Yours Yet?
Most healthcare facilities aim to complete EOC rounds:
Twice a year in clinical areas
At least once a year in non-clinical areas
These timelines can shift if issues arise—or if a regulatory or certification visit is approaching. In my experience, if you don’t schedule them early in the year, it’s easy to blink and suddenly it’s June!
🗓️ Pro tip: Block a full day for EOC rounds on your calendar. Larger facilities may need more time or multiple rounds. Review the results from your last rounds as well as the current guidelines to refresh you memory. If you don't want to spend a whole day, spread it out over a week or so. Use a checklist to maintain consistency.
🧭 Key areas to assess:
Nursing Units
Kitchen & Dining Areas
Laundry Facilities
Biohazard & Waste Areas
Specialty Units (e.g., Dialysis, OR, Therapy Gyms)
Operating Rooms and Sterile Processing Areas
Outdoor Spaces
Diagnostic Imaging
Laboratory
Materials Management / Storage
Waiting & Visitation Areas
Resident/Patient Rooms
💦 Splash Zones: A Commonly Missed Risk
Have you evaluated your splash zones lately?
According to the CDC, splash zones are areas within 3 feet of a water source like a sink. Storing clean supplies in these areas increases the risk of contamination.
🧴 Watch for:
PPE and meds near sinks
Linens and uncovered paper products stored close to water sources
Open shelving in bathrooms
✅ Solution: Store clean items outside splash zones and use signage to reinforce safe storage.
🌀 Personal Fans: Comfort or Contamination?
In all my years in IP, the topic of personal fans has come up repeatedly. While they offer comfort, fans can compromise infection control by circulating dust, droplets, and airborne pathogens.
📌 Risks include:
Disruption of airflow balance
Dust buildup and dispersal
Hard-to-clean surfaces
Inappropriate storage practices
✔️ Best practice: Avoid fans in clinical areas when possible. If necessary, include them in your cleaning and storage protocols. Collaborate with your Facilities Management, Environmental Services, and Biomedical Engineering staff to identify fans in the facility.
🧠 Pro Tip
From splash zones to personal fans to forgotten storage rooms, infection prevention is rooted in environmental awareness. Scheduling EOC rounds and knowing what to look for can help uncover risks before they become problems.
Need guidance or tools to enhance your rounds? I'm happy to support your team! Send me a message to learn how we can work together.
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About IP&C Consulting At IP&C Consulting, I help healthcare organizations and infection preventionists strengthen their programs through consulting, education, and coaching. Learn more about my services here.
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