Why is infection control so important

Infection Control is one of the subjects covered in Clarriots Care induction days. Our carers have refresher training on courses like Infection Control to keep their knowledge fresh and updated with it being one of our top priorities to keep clients happy, healthy and at home. My Account.

News Events Press Room. Sign Up to the homecare. Medical personnel who come into contact with infected patients must use personal protective equipment that creates a barrier between the worker and the infectious material. Depending on the severity of the risk, PPE ranges from simple to complex. Just as important as using PPE is following proper protocol when using PPE, such as observing the basic principle of "working from clean to dirty," avoiding such faux pas as touching environmental surfaces such as light switches and cabinet knobs with contaminated gloves.

While it's beyond the scope of this article to address solutions to common HAIs such as surgical site infections or urinary tract infections from catheters, these topics and their solutions are well known in the medical community. Infection Control National Library of Medicine. Blog post from director of infection prevention and control at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Useful page with links to 19 PDF checklists to assess infection prevention for hospitals and ambulatory care facilities.

Isolation Precautions CDC. Excellent summary of recommendations for preventing transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings. This PDF provides information to improve personnel safety in the healthcare environment through appropriate use of PPE. Request A Quote. Where is infection control important? What exactly is infection prevention and control? Since we're doing an overview of the topic's importance to hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare environments, let's ask two basic questions: What are the most common sources of HAIs?

What are the top practical measures to prevent HAIs? Clostridium difficile While the list above covers infections transmitted through invasive procedures, instruments, and equipment surgery, catheters, ventilators , it omits an important category, and that is infections transmitted by air or water in the healthcare environment.

Implement these critical infection prevention measures. Prevention measure 1: Hand hygiene According to the U. Prevention measure 2: Respiratory hygiene Preventing transmission from one person to another via droplets propelled by a sneeze, or by contact with respiratory secretions, comes down to education, a well-equipped environment, and proper use of personal protective equipment PPE - see 3.

Prevention measure 3: Use of personal protective equipment Medical personnel who come into contact with infected patients must use personal protective equipment that creates a barrier between the worker and the infectious material.

According to CDC's Guidance for the Selection and Use of PPE : Disposable gloves protect hands Gowns, aprons protect skin, clothing Masks, respirators protect mouth, nose, respiratory tract Goggles, face shields protect face, mouth, nose, and eyes Just as important as using PPE is following proper protocol when using PPE, such as observing the basic principle of "working from clean to dirty," avoiding such faux pas as touching environmental surfaces such as light switches and cabinet knobs with contaminated gloves.

Conclusion While it's beyond the scope of this article to address solutions to common HAIs such as surgical site infections or urinary tract infections from catheters, these topics and their solutions are well known in the medical community. Recent Posts. Infection Control Basics. Guidelines Library. Training and Education Resources. Tools for Healthcare Settings.

Global Healthcare Safety. Additional Resources. Healthcare-associated Infections and National Data. Multidrug-Resistant Organisms and Antibiotic Resistance.