Infection control


setting you work in, there may be elements of SCIPs that do not apply to you; however, its equally important to be aware of some of the main precautions to take. n Assessment of infection risk – Patients and residents should be assessed for infection risk on arrival to a care area; for example, arriving to a care home and should be reviewed throughout their stay for any signs or symptoms of HCAIs.


n Hand hygiene – Hand hygiene is one of the most important ways to reduce the transmission of infectious agents that cause HCAIs, and they must be cleaned properly throughout the day. Before starting work, healthcare workers should assess their hands for cuts, cracks, and breaks in the skin, and cover any of these with waterproof dressings (changing when required) to reduce the risks of harbouring any pathogens that may cause infections.


Remember, if in doubt, refer to your organisation’s hand hygiene policy and report any risks or incidents that may occur, and always perform hand hygiene before putting on or after removing gloves.


n Respiratory and cough hygiene – Respiratory and cough hygiene is designed to minimise the risk of cross transmission of known or suspected respiratory illness. You should:


1. Cover the nose and mouth with a disposable tissue when coughing, sneezing, or blowing the nose – if unavailable, use the crook of your arm.


2. Dispose of all tissues correctly and promptly into a waste bin.


3. Wash hands using non-antimicrobial liquid soap and warm water after coughing, sneezing, using tissues, or after contact with contaminated objects.


4. Keep contaminated hands away from the eyes, mouth, and nose.


n PPE – Before undertaking any procedure, staff should assess any likely exposure to blood and/or body fluids, and ensure PPE is worn that provides adequate protection against the risks associated with the procedure or task being undertaken. All PPE should be: a. Located close to the point of use. b. Stored in a clean, dry area to prevent contamination, bearing in mind expiry dates.


March 2024 www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


IPC is indispensable in the training of care and health care professionals


c. Single use only, unless specified by the manufacturer.


d. Changed immediately after each service user and/or following the completion of a procedure or task.


e. Disposed of after use into the correct waste stream; for example, domestic waste, offensive (non-infectious), or clinical waste.


f. Discarded if damaged or contaminated.


n Safe management of care equipment – Care equipment can be easily contaminated with blood, and other body fluids meaning it is easy to transfer infectious agents from communal care equipment during care delivery. Remember to always adhere to Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) risk assessments and guidance for the use and decontamination for all care equipment.


n Safe management of the care environment – The care environment must be visibly clean as well as well- maintained and routinely cleaned in accordance with the National Cleaning Standards. Staff should also be aware of their environmental cleaning schedules for their area and clear on their specific responsibilities as well as the


organisation’s cleaning protocols.


n Linen management – All care home environments must review their laundry processes regularly as well as manage and segregate their laundry in accordance with HTM 01-04 (Decontamination of linen for health and social care).


1. Clean linen must be stored in a clean, designated area and should not be rinsed, shaken, or sorted upon removal of the bed. As well as this, linen should not be rehandled once bagged or overfilled into the laundry receptacle.


2. Used linen should be placed in an impermeable bag immediately on removal from the bed or before leaving the area, laundry receptacles should be available as close as possible to the point of use for the immediate linen deposit.


3. Infectious linen includes linen that has been used by a patient or resident who is known or suspected to be infectious and/ or has been contaminated with blood or other body fluids. This linen should be sealed in a water-soluble bag, placed in an impermeable bag, and secured. All linen that is deemed unfit for re-use (for example, torn or heavily contaminated) should be categorised at the point of use and returned to the laundry for assessment and disposal.


When might you pose a risk to others and how can you combat it? As previously mentioned, there may be


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