Infection Control in the Workplace
Infection Control in the Workplace
Every health care worker plays a vital part in helping to minimise the risk of cross infection – for example, by making certain that hands are properly washed, the clinical environment is as clean as possible, ensuring knowledge and skills are continually updated and by educating patients and visitors.
Standard precautions (formerly known as universal precautions) underpin routine safe practice, protecting both staff and our residents from infection. By applying standard precautions at all times and to all residents, best practice becomes second nature and the risks of infection are minimised. They include:
1 achieving optimum hand hygiene
2 using personal protective equipment
3 safe handling and disposal of sharps
4 safe handling and disposal of clinical waste
1. Hand hygiene
Hand hygiene is widely acknowledged to be the single most important activity for reducing the spread of disease, yet evidence suggests that many health care workers do not decontaminate their hands as often as they need to or use the correct technique which means that areas of the hands can be missed.
We receive training and prompts from managers and colleagues alike to ensure correct hand washing is adopted at all times
The diagram attached demonstrates the hand hygiene procedure that should be followed when washing with soap and water or using an alcohol hand gel or rub.
Hands should be decontaminated before direct contact with patients and after any activity or contact that contaminates the hands, including following the removal of gloves. While alcohol hand gels and rubs are a practical alternative to soap and water, alcohol is not a cleaning agent. Hands that are visibly dirty or potentially grossly contaminated must be washed with soap and water and dried thoroughly. Hand preparation increases the effectiveness of decontamination. You should: * keep nails short, clean and polish free * avoid wearing wrist watches and jewellery,
Every health care worker plays a vital part in helping to minimise the risk of cross infection – for example, by making certain that hands are properly washed, the clinical environment is as clean as possible, ensuring knowledge and skills are continually updated and by educating patients and visitors.
Standard precautions (formerly known as universal precautions) underpin routine safe practice, protecting both staff and our residents from infection. By applying standard precautions at all times and to all residents, best practice becomes second nature and the risks of infection are minimised. They include:
1 achieving optimum hand hygiene
2 using personal protective equipment
3 safe handling and disposal of sharps
4 safe handling and disposal of clinical waste
1. Hand hygiene
Hand hygiene is widely acknowledged to be the single most important activity for reducing the spread of disease, yet evidence suggests that many health care workers do not decontaminate their hands as often as they need to or use the correct technique which means that areas of the hands can be missed.
We receive training and prompts from managers and colleagues alike to ensure correct hand washing is adopted at all times
The diagram attached demonstrates the hand hygiene procedure that should be followed when washing with soap and water or using an alcohol hand gel or rub.
Hands should be decontaminated before direct contact with patients and after any activity or contact that contaminates the hands, including following the removal of gloves. While alcohol hand gels and rubs are a practical alternative to soap and water, alcohol is not a cleaning agent. Hands that are visibly dirty or potentially grossly contaminated must be washed with soap and water and dried thoroughly. Hand preparation increases the effectiveness of decontamination. You should: * keep nails short, clean and polish free * avoid wearing wrist watches and jewellery,