Specialist High Skills Major

SHSM

Apprenticeship

College University

Workplace

Health and Wellness

Infection Control and Prevention

Infection Control and PreventionPart 3

Infection Transmission commonly ocurs in 5 ways:

1. Contact – Direct or indirect

2. Droplet – Large drops into the nose or mouth

3. Vehicle – Food, water, medications ingested

4. Airborne - small particles of droplets or dust

5. Vectorborne – Insects or organisms

Infection and Transmission: A Review

Microorganisms (Microbes) are tiny animals and plants found everywhere

Infection occurs when pathogens colonize and alter the normal function of an organism

Infection Control & Prevention

There are 4 major practices for infection control and Prevention:

1. Hand Washing – Hand washing is the greatest and most important practice for infection control and prevention!

2. Protective Barriers

3. Care of Equipment in a Medical Setting

4. Health Care Worker Practices.

Hand Washing

Infection Control & Prevention

Hand washing is the greatest and most important practice for infection control and prevention!

It is critical to follow hand washing procedures and

protocol

Infection Control & Prevention Hand Washing

Infection Control & Prevention

Hand Washing

Hand Washing Steps:

1. Thoroughly wet the hands

2. Add soap – if using a bar of soap, rub for 20 seconds

3. Scrub hands, including backs, wrists, between fingers and under the nails.

4. Rinse soap off.

5. Dry hands thoroughly with a paper towel (avoid hand dryers where possible).

6. Turn off the water / tap using the paper towel.

Infection Control & Prevention

Protective Barriers

Personal Protective Equipment is specialized clothing and equipment worn by health care workers for their safety.

This equipment is especially important to workers who may come in contact with blood and bodily fluids of a patient

Protective Barriers

Infection Control & Prevention

Protective Barriers include:

Safety Glasses

Hair Nets

Masks

Coats and Gowns

Plastic Aprons

Care of Equipment

Infection Control & Prevention

Medical Equipment and Facilities use 2 common methods for infection control and prevention:

1. Sterilization: A process that kills microbes at the highest level on medical equipment using heat, steam, a chemical process or a combination of these methods.

2. Disinfection: A process in which all liquid chemicals are used on all surfaces at room temperatures to kill microbes in medical facilities.

Health Care Practices

Infection Control & Prevention

Asepsis: The term referring to practices used to keep an area free of disease-causing microbes.

Medical Asepsis: Practices include hand washing, and personal protective barriers

Surgical Asepsis: Includes sterilization techniques for equipment

5 Moments for Hand Hygiene for Health Care workers

1. Before touching a patient

2. Before performing a clean (aseptic) procedure

3. After blood or body fluid exposure

4. After touching a patient

5. After touching a patient’s surroundings

Infection Control & Prevention

Health Care Practices

Infection Control & Prevention

Important Terms in Infection Control and Prevention

Antiseptic: A substance that kills microbes on living tissue

Germicide: A product or chemical that destroys pathogens on living tissue or facility surfaces

Alcohol Hand Cleaner: A waterless antiseptic used as a substitute to hand washing, with approximately a 70% alcohol content

Nosocomial Infections: Infections acquired in a health care setting