A10 - Infection Prevention and Control in Health Settings

• What are the techniques for infection control?

  Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g. aprons and gloves)

  Use of cleaning and disinfecting agents (e.g. appropriate dilutions)

  Effective handwashing techniques (5 moments of hand hygiene)

  Good personal hygiene and uniform requirements (e.g. hair tied up and clean uniform)

  Safe disposure of sharps (e.g. hypodermic needles and disposable scalpels)

  Appropriate waste segregation and disposal
• What is the importance of good handwashing techniques and personal hygiene?

  Helps prevent the control of disease, infection and illness

  Reduces the risk of disease, infection and illness being passed from person to person through cross contamination

  Legal requirements
• How can you practice good handwashing techniques?

  Follow workplace guidance:

  • Ayliffe handwashing technique (NICE)
  • 5 moments (WHO)
  • 12-point technique (WHO/NHS)
• How can you practice good personal hygiene?

  Washing body and hair regularly

  Wearing clean uniform

  Cleaning teeth

  Covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing

  Maintaining short, neat and clean nails
• What is the scientific principle of cleaning?

  Physically reduces the presence of microorganisms that may be present on surfaces and instruments through the removal of visible foreign material, minimising the risk of transfer of microorganisms
• What is the scientific principle of disinfecting?

  Using a specific chemical disinfectant or by physical disinfection (e.g. heat) reduces nonvisible pathogenic microorganisms by destroying the cell wall or interfering with metabolism
• What is the scientific principle of sterilisation?

  The complete elimination of all microorganisms
• What is the scientific principle of decontamination?

  Overarching process used to describe cleaning, disinfecting and sterilisation
• What are the differences in procedures for cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising?

  Cleaning:

  • tools (e.g. mops)
  • vacuum cleaners
  • cloths and floor scrubbers
  • using cleaning agents

  Disinfecting:

  • using disinfectant agent (e.g. sodium hypochlorite)

  Sterilisation:

  • applying chemicals
  • applying high pressure
  • applying heat
  • applying irradiation and filtration or a combination
• What is the meaning of antimicrobial resistance?

  The ability of a microorganism to survive exposure to antimicrobial agents (e.g. antibiotics)
• What is the impact of antimicrobial resistance?

  The overuse of antibiotics reduces the overall effectiveness

  The overuse has led to the emergence of new strains of microorganisms

  Increase in super bugs (e.g. MRSA and Clostridium difficile)
• How are we reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance?

  Antimicrobial stewardship coordinated program in the healthcare sector to promote appropriate use of antimicrobials