Sources
[PDF] Guide to Infection Control In Clinic Setting
www.chp.gov.hk
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1
[PDF] Guidelines on Infection Control Practice in the Clinic Settings of ...
www.chp.gov.hk
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2
CDC's Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe ...
www.cdc.gov
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3
Infection Control for Healthcare Providers - CDC
www.cdc.gov
·
4
Answer
Here are the best practices for infection control in healthcare settings:
Standard Precautions
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Use Standard Precautions to care for all patients in all settings, which include3:
- Hand hygiene
- Environmental cleaning and disinfection
- Injection and medication safety
- Risk assessment with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) based on activities
- Minimizing potential exposures (e.g. respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette)
- Reprocessing of reusable medical equipment between each patient or when soiled
Hand Hygiene
- Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before and after patient contact, after contact with blood or body fluids, after handling contaminated items, and after removing gloves13
- Use WHO's "My 5 moments for Hand Hygiene" approach1
- Use proper hand hygiene technique as outlined in Appendix 41
Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette
- Educate healthcare staff, patients, and visitors on the importance of containing respiratory secretions2
- Post visual alerts to remind patients to report respiratory symptoms and cover coughs2
- Offer surgical masks to persons with respiratory symptoms, especially during epidemics2
- Instruct symptomatic persons to sit away from others in designated waiting areas2
Patient Triage and Placement
- Identify potentially infectious individuals through triage policies and visual alerts2
- Implement Transmission-Based Precautions in addition to Standard Precautions for patients with known or suspected infectious agents12
- Ensure appropriate patient placement, such as single-patient rooms or designated areas2
Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection
- Clean and disinfect patient care areas and equipment regularly using EPA-registered disinfectants3
- Follow Spaulding's classification and use appropriate disinfection methods for different medical equipment1
Education and Training
- Provide education and training to healthcare personnel on infection prevention practices3
- Tailor training to the diversity of the workforce, type of facility, and needs of each category of personnel3
Leadership Support
- Require visible and tangible support from all levels of leadership for infection prevention programs to be successful3
Performance Monitoring and Feedback
- Monitor performance of infection prevention practices and provide regular feedback3
- Tailor measures to the care activities and population served3
References
1. [PDF] Guide to Infection Control In Clinic Setting2. [PDF] Guidelines on Infection Control Practice in the Clinic Settings of ...3. CDC's Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe ...4. Infection Control for Healthcare Providers - CDC5. Best Practices in IPAC | Public Health Ontario
Author: HIQA
Key insights
- 🦠 Healthcare associated infections can have a huge impact on people, causing anxiety, upset, serious illness, disability, and even death.
- Antimicrobial stewardship is crucial in ensuring that people receive the right antibiotics for the right infection type at the right time and for the correct duration.
- 🦠 Both staff and people using community care services have a role to play in preventing and controlling infections.
- 🧼 Clean hands and proper hygiene are crucial in preventing infection in community services.