Best tips for flowers in hospitals
Patients are always happy to receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers. It cheers them up and greatly improves the atmosphere in the room. Research has shown that patients in a green and blooming environment feel better mentally, which helps them to recover more quickly.
Are there risks related to having a bunch of flowers in a hospital ward?
Dirty vases contain pathogens which also occur on wounds of the human skin. Infection of those wounds is therefore possible. It is therefore very important to thoroughly clean vases before and after use. Keep the vase water clean (bacteria free) and throw out the old vase water immediately. Hospital staff must also disinfect and thoroughly clean their hands. Wearing gloves is recommended when cleaning flower vases.
What can Chrysal do to decrease the risk of infection?
The nutrients and pH regulators in Chrysal Clear flower food effectively restore the balance of the flower and return the resistance to cell and stem deterioration back to the natural level, thus guaranteeing a longer vase life of the flower. The accelerated ageing caused by the cutting is slowed down. The side effect is that the vase water is not taxed with all the internal and external decomposition products of the stem, as in vases with only tap water, and consequently, very few or no pathogens at all can grow.
At the request of a hospital, an independent study by TNO* was conducted to confirm these claims. On the basis of its results, the hospital concluded that flowers in ‘Chrysal water’ are acceptable in hospital wards and flowers in just tap water are not. A bonus for hospital staff is that ’Chrysal water’ only needs to be topped up and that the vases have very little or no contamination when the flowers are finished blooming.
*TNO: independent Dutch research institute