Infection Control

Presentation Objectives To understand the basics of infections

To be aware of routine practices

To know when to implement transmission-based precautions:

Contact precautions

Droplet precautions

Airborne precautions

To identify the importance of cleaning requirements

To be aware of self screening protocols

Infections: The Basics

Causative agent (What causes the infection)

Susceptible host (Where the infection survives)

Mode of transmission(How it gets there)

Routine Practices

Consists of:

Minimum standards to use for all resident contact

Protect residents, staff and visitors

Protect self if there is a chance of exposure to blood, body fluids, excretions or secretions.

HANDWASHING

is the Single most effective

method in Preventing the

Spread of Infection

HANDWASHING

is the Single most

effective method in

Preventing the Spread

of Infection

The Hand Washing Process:

Friction during hand scrubbing opens pores and loosens

germs

Wash for at least 20 seconds (Happy Birthday X 2)

Use warm water to loosen germs better

Wash often

Don’t re-contaminate your hands

Use Alcohol gel when hand washing is not possible

Routine Practices – Hand Washing

Hand Washing - When?

Hand washing should be performed:

At the start and finish of cleaning procedures

After touching any blood, body fluid, excretion or secretion

After removing a pair of gloves and before wearing a pair of new gloves

Before and after contact with residents or their environment

Between tasks/procedures on the same resident

Routine Practices - Personal Protection

Use of personal protective equipment is driven by:

Symptoms

Home Procedures

Routine Practices - Gloves

Use for touching blood, body fluids, contaminated items, mucous membranes and non-intact skin

Task specific

Avoid contaminating the environment

Perform hand hygiene after removal

Routine Practices - Gloves NEVER substitute gloves for hand washing

Gloves need to be changed between residents if delivering care (with hand washing in between)

Gloves need to be changed between activities for the same resident if contaminated

Gloves need to be worn if the staff has open lesions on their hands

Routine Practices - Gloves Non-sterile gloves such as household rubber gloves

should be worn for all cleaning procedures

They must be washed and disinfected prior to reuse and after contact with heavily contaminated surfaces or items

Disposable gloves should be changed:

Between cleaning resident rooms

If torn, punctured, cut or any evidence of deterioration

Routine Practices - Masks & Protective Eye Wear

Use for procedures that may generate splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions or excretions

When caring for coughing/febrile clients

Routine Practices - Gowns Use to prevent soiling of

clothes

Not needed for all care but should be used during procedures and activities likely to generate splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, excretions or secretions.

Routine Practices - Handling Sharps

Sharps: Put them in their place!(razors, broken glass, needles etc)

Never ever re-cap needles

Routine Practices - Personal Care Supplies and Equipment

Personal care supplies should not be shared between residents

CreamsLotionsSoaps Razors

Equipment should be cleaned before use in the care of another resident

Transmission Based Precautions Certain pathogens require additional precautions.

Based on mode of transmission

Used in addition to routine practices

Airborne Precaution

Single room, negative pressure

N95 mask (fit tested)

Limit number of people entering the room

Resident should be out of the room for essential purposes only and should wear a surgical/procedure mask

Examples include: Tuberculosis or Chicken pox

Routine Precautions - Droplet

Reduce the risk of transmission of large droplets greater than 5 microns in size

Larger droplets do not remain suspended in the air

Surgical masks use within 1 meter of the resident

Examples: Influenza, Pertussis, Mumps

Spray Spreads!

Droplet Precautions

Limit number of people entering the Limit number of people entering the roomroom

Resident should wear a Resident should wear a surgical/procedure mask when outside surgical/procedure mask when outside of their roomof their room

Gloves, mask, eye protection, gown and Gloves, mask, eye protection, gown and hand hygienehand hygiene

Examples: Viral respiratory infections, Examples: Viral respiratory infections, such as Influenzasuch as Influenza

Contact Precautions Used for residents known to have an infection that is transmitted by

direct contact with the client or their environment

Used if there is potential for widespread environmental contamination. Typically:

Fecal incontinence (uncontrolled diarrhea)

Uncontained wound drainage

Influenza (with droplet precautions) or any uncontrolled respiratory secretions

Skin rash compatible with scabies

Contact Precautions Use of gown and gloves

Single room (if possible)

Dedicated equipment

Communication is key

Cleaning

Cleaning is the physical removal of dirt and debris using water and detergent

Disinfectants kill germs

There are policies that identify routine cleaning schedules as well as special cleaning needs/procedures of specific departments, types of surfaces and types of germ/pathogens

Self Screening Everyone SELF SCREENS upon entry to the home

Anyone who fails must be restricted

Staff should not come to work if unwell

Diarrhea or vomiting: return to work 48 hours after last symptom

Fever: do not come into work until you are fever free

Sore throat, sneezing and coughing: see your Infection Control Practitioner for direction. (They may direct you to wear a mask)

Summary Routine practices will protect you and your residents

PPE use guided by: symptoms and procedures and mode of transmission (if known)

Use resources available to you: Infection Control Practitioner

Hand hygiene is the most important way

to prevent the spread of infection

What Is Wrong With This Picture?

What Is Wrong With This Picture?