Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Infection Control In Healthcare Settings

Must read

Safe Management Of Equipment

Ventilation and Infection Control in Healthcare

It is essential any equipment you introduce into the healthcare facility is fit for purpose and intended for medical use. Where possible you should ensure the equipment comes with a robust service package and staff members are adequately trained on the safe use of this equipment.

Equipment can also be a known source of cross infection. For example, Oxford University Hospital traced an outbreak of a Hospital Acquired Infection, Canada Auris, back to their contact axilla thermometers.

Non-contact thermometers, such as the TRITEMP reduce touchpoints with customers, and require zero plastic probe covers, reducing the amount of contaminated waste, and optimising infection control.

With advances in technology, it is advisable when investing in new equipment for a hospital to ensure the equipment is optimised for infection control and prevention.

Does it eliminate the production of hazardous waste? Does it reduce contact? Can it be easily cleaned and decontaminated if it is to be used for multiple patients?

How Can Healthcare Professionals Apply Infection Control And Prevention Amid Covid

Healthcare workers are doing a lot of things differently due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from screening employees and patients at entrances to wearing masks all the time.

CDCs Project Firstline recommends healthcare workers prevent COVID-19 spread by:

  • Cleaning your hands soap and water and alcohol-based hand sanitizer break apart the envelope that holds the virus together, so it cant spread.
  • Creating good ventilation good indoor ventilation is important for clearing air that might have respiratory droplets in it. Respiratory droplets are the main way COVID-19 spreads.
  • Practicing physical distancing maintaining physical distance helps people avoid breathing in each others respiratory droplets.
  • Using PPE appropriately an N95 respirator will prevent you from breathing in virus thats in respiratory droplets, and eye protection keeps respiratory droplets from landing on your eyes. Using gloves and gowns prevents droplets from getting on your skin and clothes, where it can spread to the nose and mouth by touch. They also keep you from accidentally spreading germs into your work environment.
  • Vaccination is another important way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by preventing new infections and making infections in vaccinated people less easily spread

Environmental Cleaning And Disinfection

Evidence supports the important role of environmental cleaning in controlling the transmission of organisms , especially in hospitals and healthcare settings.

If an individual with a suspected or confirmed case of infectious disease has attended your clinic, all surfaces that the person has come into contact with must be cleaned.

Read Also: Ear Infection Viral Or Bacterial

Placement And Infection Assessment

Before admission into the healthcare facility, all patients must be assessed for infection risks, as well as throughout their time in care. This will inform decisions about treatment.

Patients who may present a particular cross-infection risk may include:

  • Patients presenting with diarrhea, or vomiting
  • Those with an unexplained fever
  • Patients who are known to have been previously positive with a Multi-drug Resistant Organism
  • For COVID identifiers, Public Health Agency cites, loss of taste or smell, fever, and a new persistent cough as primary symptoms

Approach To Standards Compliance

Infection Prevention in the Healthcare Setting

When developing infection prevention and control processes, practices, policies, and procedures The Joint Commission encourages organizations to follow the hierarchical approach to determine infection control requirements that are specific to their organizations. Further information can be found in Perspectives, April 2019.

In addition, accredited organizations should monitor the Consistent Interpretations section of Perspectives for examples of RFIs related to Infection Prevention and Control. Topics that have been covered include Personal Protective Equipment , Water Management , Operative Attire , Glucose Monitoring and Insulin Administration , Ultrasound Transducers .

Don’t Miss: Over The Counter Antifungal Cream For Yeast Infection

Stay Vigilant About Cleanliness

Germs can spread easily through our hands because were constantly touching surfaces, our face, or instruments and our patients. Thats why hand hygiene is essential in preventing infections. Follow good practice when it comes to washing your hands and use appropriate PPE in keeping with standard precautions to protect yourself and your patients from infection. Contact Infection Control Results today to speak with one of our talented infection control experts.

Preventing And Controlling Healthcare

Evidence-based systems are used to mitigate the risk of infection. These systems account for individual risk factors for infection, as well as the risks associated with the clinical intervention and the clinical setting in which care is provided. A precautionary approach is warranted when evidence is emerging or rapidly evolving.

Patients, consumers and members of the workforce with suspected or confirmed infection are identified promptly, and appropriate action is taken. This includes persons with risk factors for transmitting or acquiring infection or colonisation with an organism of local, national or global significance.

The health service organisation is clean and hygienic and has well-maintained and configured engineering systems for the delivery of effective models of care.

  • Aged Care Quality Standards Clinical Care
  • Infection control is a health and safety issue. All people working in the health service organisation are responsible for providing a safe environment for consumers and the workforce. Infection prevention and control programs should be in place, in conjunction with use of the hierarchy of controls, to reduce transmission of infections so far as is reasonably practicable.

    Hand hygiene is an essential infection prevention and control strategy. The current National Hand Hygiene Initiative promotes a multimodal approach to improving hand hygiene. That includes:

    You May Like: I Ve Had A Yeast Infection For A Week

    Prevention And Management Of Infection In Healthcare Settings

    The practices that form the basic measures to prevent transmission of infectious diseases within health care environments are divided into standard and transmission-based precautions.

    When a disease agent is unknown, a symptom-based approach will reduce the risk of transmission to the health care worker and to other patients. For example, if a patient presents with vomiting or diarrhoea or respiratory symptoms then the appropriate precautions should be implemented immediately, rather than waiting for a definitive diagnosis.

    Infection Prevention And Control And Preparedness For Covid

    Implementing TB Infection Control in Out-patient Settings

    European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Infection prevention and control and preparedness for COVID-19 in healthcare settings Sixth update. 9 February 2021. ECDC: Stockholm 2021.

    This document aims to provide guidance to healthcare facilities and healthcare providers in the European Union/European Economic Area and the United Kingdom on preparedness and infection prevention and control measures for the management of possible and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in healthcare settings, including long-term care facilities . In addition, this document addresses the management of clinical diagnostic specimens at laboratories in the EU/EEA. This is the sixth update of the ECDC guidance on Infection prevention and control and preparedness for COVID-19 in healthcare settings, and replaces the document dated 6 October 2020.

    Recommended Reading: Will Gardasil Work After Infection

    Optimal Installation Position Of The Suction Device

    Figure 3

    Comparison of simulated distributions of suspended and deposited particles with the suction device in three different positions shown in this figure, 100 s after the patient begins exhaling at a constant rate of 2.5 m/s and assuming no evaporation. Suction port placed near the patients mouth . Suction port placed approximately 15 cm from the patients mouth . Suction port is placed approximately 35 cm from the patients mouth . Suction port is placed near the patients mouth . Suction port is placed approximately 15 cm from the patients mouth . Suction port is placed approximately 35 cm from the patients mouth .

    Table 4 The relative proportions of suspended, deposited, exhaled, and suctioned particles with a suction device placed beside and 35 cm from the patients mouth as shown in Fig. , 100 s after the patient begins exhaling at a constant rate of 2.5 m/s at RH100.

    Infection Control In Healthcare Facilities

    Another important factor in controlling and preventing infection is by improving practices in healthcare facilities. It is the duty of healthcare professionals worldwide to ensure they develop strategies and implement policies that protect those who may be immunocompromised in order to keep susceptible patients safe from healthcare-associated infections . Globally, up to 7% of patients in developed and 10% in developing countries will acquire at least one HAI.

    HAIs are one of the most common detrimental effects in care delivery and both the endemic burden and the occurrence of epidemics are a major public health concern. HAIs have a significant impact on morbidity, mortality and quality of life and present an economic burden at the societal level. However, a large proportion of HAI are preventable and there is a growing body of evidence to help raise awareness of the global burden of harm caused by these infections, including strategies to reduce their spread.

    Don’t Miss: Can A Yeast Infection Cause Chlamydia

    Infection Control In Disaster And Conflict Settings

    The principles of IPC remain of paramount importance in emergency settings in order to protect yourself and your patients. This is especially important given the unsanitary conditions post-disaster and conflict in camps, which can create a perfect storm for infection, both for infectious diseases and wound infection. With a high incidence of complex, open traumatic injuries requiring surgery performed in sub-optimal surgical environments, there comes an increased risk of wound infection, which is further exacerbated by limited access to resources including clear water and medical consumables, creating significant challenges for rehabilitation professionals in many disaster and conflict settings.

    When working in an area where infectious diseases ) are an identified risk, additional IPC precautions will be in place. Make sure that you have had specific training and have been provided with additional PPE as required.

    Infection Prevention And Control Guidance Overview

    World Health Organization Western Pacific on Twitter: " Infections in ...

    When at work, protecting yourself prevents you becoming unwell from sick patients, clients or residents and prevents the spread of serious illnesses:

    Don’t Miss: Ear Infection And Neck Pain

    Preventive Practices And Infections

    Patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit frequently need a specialized, surgically implanted intravenous catheter, or central line, for the delivery of fluids, nutrition, and medications. Central line-associated bloodstream infections are recognized as a grave risk to hospitalized patients, so several health care organizations have promoted a group of five evidence-based interventions, known as a central line bundle, to reduce the incidence of these infections. Drs. Stone and Larson, along with their colleagues, conducted a survey of 984 ICUs in 632 hospitals across the United States and found that following even one of the five evidence-based interventions could reduce these infections. Unsurprisingly, the greatest reduction in infections in intensive care units was seen when all five interventions were followed.

    These findings identify practices that could lead to fewer central-line bloodstream infections and better patient outcomes.

    Vaccination Of Healthcare Personnel

    Healthcare facilities maintain appropriate and up-to-date immunization to protect HCP and the patients who are receiving care. Healthcare facility immunization programs are crucial mechanisms to help ensure workplace safety. This module identifies the benefits of vaccinating HCP, the general principles for HCP vaccination in healthcare facilities, and the major vaccinations that all HCP should receive when working in healthcare facilities.

    Recommended Use: Required ID : 20659 Scott C. Roberts, MD, MS – Yale School of Medicine Richard A. Martinello, MD – Yale School of Medicine

    Recommended Reading: List Of Medications That Cause Yeast Infections

    Recommended Routine Infection Prevention And Control Practices During The Covid

    Encourage everyone to remain up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses.

    Establish a Process to Identify and Manage Individuals with Suspected or Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection

    • Ensure everyone is aware of recommended IPC practices in the facility.
    • Post visual alerts at the entrance and in strategic places These alerts should include instructions about current IPC recommendations . Dating these alerts can let help ensure people know that they reflect current recommendations.
  • Establish a process to make everyone entering the facility aware of recommended actions to prevent transmission to others if they have any of the following three criteria:
  • 1) a positive viral test for SARS-CoV-2
  • 3) close contact with someone with SARS-CoV-2 infection or a higher-risk exposure ).
  • Instruct HCP to report any of the 3 above criteria to occupational health or another point of contact designated by the facility so these HCP can be properly managed.
  • The definition of higher-risk exposure and recommendations for evaluation and work restriction of these HCP are in the Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
  • Provide guidance about recommended actions for patients and visitors who have any of the above three criteria.
  • Patients should be managed as described in Section 2.
  • Infection Prevention And Control: Resource For Adult Social Care

    #COVID19 Pandemic | Infection Prevention and Control in Health Care Settings

    This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: .

    Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

    This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infection-prevention-and-control-in-adult-social-care-settings/infection-prevention-and-control-resource-for-adult-social-care

    This guidance applies from 4 April 2022.

    Also Check: Urinary Tract Infection Post Menopause

    Guide To Infection Control In The Healthcare Setting

    Bundles in Infection Prevention and Safety

    Care bundles include a set of evidence-based measures that, when implemented together, have shown to improve patient care and have a greater impact than that of the isolated implementation of individual measures. Bundles help to create reliable and consistent care systems in hospital settings since they are simple, clear, and concise and contribute to infection prevention, reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing, and may limit the development of antibiotic resistance in healthcare facilities.

    Disinfection in the Hospital Environment

    Disinfection of the inanimate environment decreases bioburden and limits cross transmission of pathogens in the hospital. This chapter summarizes recommended procedures for the disinfection of environmental surfaces and describes novel approaches such as self-cleaning surfaces and UV light emitting robots that may play a role in infection prevention.

    Emergency Department and Receiving Areas

    Healthcare workers in the emergency department and receiving areas need to be aware of the risks posed by blood and air-borne infections, and take measures to limit exposure through early identification and isolation of high risk patients. This chapter summarizes how the adoption of reasonable healthcare safety precautions can minimize transmission of most contact-related infections in the emergency department.

    Food: Considerations for Hospital Infection Control

    Hand Hygiene Monitoring

    Laboratory Areas

    The Pharmacy

    Determining The Infectiousness Of Tb Patients

    The infectiousness of a TB patient is directly related to the number of droplet nuclei carrying M. tuberculosis that are expelled into the air. The number of tubercle bacilli expelled by a TB patient depends on the following factors:

    • Presence of a cough
    • Acid-fast bacilli on sputum smear
    • TB disease of the lungs, airway, or larynx
    • Patient not covering mouth and nose when coughing
    • Not receiving adequate treatment or having prolonged illness
    • Undergoing cough-inducing procedures
    • Positive sputum cultures

    Patients can be considered noninfectious when they meet all of the following three criteria:

    • They have three consecutive negative AFB sputum smears collected in 8- to 24-hour intervals
    • They are compliant with an adequate treatment regimen for two weeks or longer and
    • Their symptoms have improved clinically .

    Note

    CDC recommendations on infection control provide evidence-based guidance. For regulations in your area, refer to state and local regulations and contact your local Occupational Safety and Health Administration office .

    References

    Don’t Miss: What Causes A Sinus Infection Contagious

    Check Out Resources On Infection Control From Cdc Project Firstline

    We love our frontline healthcare workers.

    Thats why we are excited to share Project Firstline, a training and education collaborative from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure all healthcare workers, no matter their role or educational background, have the infection control knowledge and understanding they need and deserve to protect themselves, their patients, and their coworkers.

    Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio is working with the National Hispanic Medical Association to bring Project Firstline content to frontline healthcare workers.

    Project Firstline creates resources, including videos and , web buttons, posters, and print materials. They also have facilitator toolkits to help workers lead trainings even if they are not an infection control expert.

    Healthcare teams in hospitals, nursing homes, and other care settings are the front lines against the spread of infection, said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. CDCs Project Firstline is bolstering those efforts by developing evidence-based tools that can be delivered in a variety of ways to make infection control learning convenient and accessible for busy healthcare staff.

    Healthcare Personnel Exposed To Communicable Diseases

    Infections in health care can lead to #antibioticresistance. recognize ...

    HCP are at risk for infection from communicable and bloodborne diseases by the nature of working in patient care. In healthcare settings, the nosocomial transmission of bloodborne pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus , hepatitis B virus , and hepatitis C virus , can occur through needlestick injuries and blood and body fluid exposures to non-intact skin or mucous membranes. While a robust occupational health program and adherence to healthcare facility safety protocols can mitigate the risk of transmission events, all HCP play a role in maintaining a safe environment. In this module, learners will review the best tools for preventing exposures in healthcare settings as well as critical mechanisms for managing an exposure event. The module concludes with a review of the major types of bloodborne pathogens HCP may be exposed to in the workplace.

    Recommended Use: Required ID : 20660 Scott C. Roberts, MD, MS – Yale School of Medicine Richard A. Martinello, MD – Yale School of Medicine

    Also Check: Ear Infection Causing Hearing Loss

    More articles

    Popular Articles