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