ELEMENTS OF COMPETENCY

Identify risks of infection Apply standard infection control procedures

as part of work routine Recognise situations when additional

infection control procedures are required Identify other sources of infection Assess levels of risk

INFECTION CONTROL

Staying alert Assessing the situation Following your facilities policies and

procedures Always exercise good hygiene practices Using protective equipment Following safe work practices

CLINICAL WASTE

Is anything that has the potential to cause sharps injuries, infection or offence.

EG. Sharps, human tissue, bulky body fluids and blood, visibly blood stained fluids and visibly blood stained disposable material and equipment.

DISPOSING OF CLINICAL WASTE

Ensure bags have sufficient strength Do not overfill bags Bags tied or sealed and stored in a secure

place Should not be transported in chutes Should be yellow with biohazard symbol Always wear gloves when handling clinical

waste and containers.

WHAT IS AN MSDS

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET

Suppliers are required to provide labels for and on containers and a material safety data sheet for hazardous substances they supply.

REMEMBER

Read the label

Look for risk and safety phrases

Look for signal words and symbols

Follow the safety instructions

Use only as directed

Storage of chemicals

If you must decant the new container should be labelled with risk and safety phrases.

Must not come into contact with food

Stored in secure, locked cupboard

If flammable store away from heat

INFECTION

The invasion of the body by pathogenic agents with the subsequent multiplication and production of disease

NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION

An infection that develops during hospitalisation that was not present or incubating at the time of admission.

5-10% of patients will acquire a nosocomial infection.

Urinary tract infection Skin infections Respiratory infections

MICROBIOLOGY

The study of micro-organisms too small to be seen without the aid of a microscope.

MICRO-ORGANISM

Any microscopic plant or animal cell, often a bacterium.

Eg. Rickettsia

Clamydia

Protozoon

Virus

PATHOGEN

A disease producing agent usually restricted to a living agent.

STERILE

Free from micro-organisms

DISINFECTION

A process that eliminates many or all micro-organisms except bacterial spores.

STERILISATION

Is the destruction of all living organisms, including spores.

Eg. Steam under pressure

Dry heat sterilisation

Flash sterilisation

COMENSAL ORGANISM

Organisms that normally live in specific sites of the body without invading the tissues or causing infection.

They are harmless in their normal site but can cause infection when transferred to an abnormal site.

Eg. Escherichia Coli aid absorption of nutrients in the intestine.

OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTION

Are those which normally colonise the person’s body without causing illness, but become pathogenic when the person is susceptible.

Eg. MRSA – Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus

VRE – Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus

STANDARD PRECAUTIONS

They apply to all patients and residents receiving care in health care facilities, regardless of their diagnosis or presumed infection status.

Eg. Handwashing

P.P.E.

Correct disposal of linen, sharps, etc.

ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSION BASED PRECAUTIONS

Are designed for residents you know or suspect to be infected with pathogens for which additional precautions are needed. They are always in addition to standard precautions.

Eg. Airborne precautions

Droplet precautions

Contact precautions

WINDOW PERIOD

Is the time between first infection and when a specific test can detect that infection, therefore an infected person or animal cannot be detected as infected but may still be able to infect others.

Eg. HIV window period is 3 months.

INFECTION CYCLE

Causative organism – Staphylococcus Reservoir – nose Mode of escape – Sneezing Mode of transmission – Droplet Mode of entry – on hands of nurse giving

care Susceptible host – wound

Conditions favouring growth of bacteria Moisture Nutrients Correct temperature Oxygen Correct Ph Darkness

SUSCEPTIBLE HOSTS

The elderly

Those undertaking invasive procedures

Those taking immune-suppressing medication

Those with wounds

Those with poor cough reflex.

IDENTIFY WAYS INFECTION CAN BE SPREAD Contact – direct or indirect Droplet – sneezing, coughing, talking or

suctioning Airborne – via air current, sweeping, shaking

out linen Transmission based vectors – animals

(rats, birds, dogs, cats) or insects (mosquito, flies, ticks)

IDENTIFY WAYS YOU CAN BREAK THE INFECTION CYCLE USING STANDARD PRECAUTIONS – hand

washing, wearing PPE, correct disposal of contaminated items.

USING TRANSMISSION BASED PRECAUTIONS – single rooms, separate ventilation, single use or individual utensils, limiting numbers of visitors.

HAND WASHING PRACTICAL