HEALTH EDUCATION ABOUT

INFECTION PREVENTION &

CONTROL
INFECTION CONTROL 2021
WHY SHOULD HEALTHCARE WORKERS BE
EDUCATED ABOUT INFECTION
PREVENTION AND CONTROL?
• In many countries, there is insufficient emphasis on IPC in the undergraduate training of
medical, nursing and allied health professionals.
• In addition, the clinical training facilities and senior staff often provide poor examples of
IPC best practice to students.
WHY SHOULD HEALTHCARE WORKERS BE
EDUCATED ABOUT INFECTION
PREVENTION AND CONTROL? CONT.

• New guidelines, equipment, procedures and even new diseases result in a need for
regular updates to the healthcare workers’ IPC knowledge.
• Education is also important to address workers’ concerns, fears, stigmas and incorrect
assumptions regarding transmission or prevention of healthcare-associated infections.
WHICH CATEGORIES OF HEALTHCARE
WORKERS SHOULD BE TRAINED IN
INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL?

• All healthcare workers require at least a basic understanding of IPC principles.

• Since different categories of workers may have different information needs, it is
recommended that IPC training sessions be tailored to the specific target audience, e.g.
medical staff versus cleaning services staff.
• Critical information to include is training on standard and transmission-based precautions
WHEN AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD
HEALTHCARE WORKERS BE TRAINED IN
INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL?

• Ideally all new employees should receive induction (pre-employment) training in IPC.
• Annual refresher courses or short in-service training updates are recommended for all
categories of healthcare staff.
WHICH EDUCATION METHODS CAN BE
USED TO TRAIN STAFF IN INFECTION
PREVENTION AND CONTROL?

• The simplest and often most well-accepted format for training is face-to-face, small group
teaching. This is, however, the most time-consuming teaching method, and may limit the
number of staff that the IPC practitioner can educate.
• Incorporating short sessions into the weekly clinical schedule and utilising other staff for
IPC education may be effective, e.g. using the sister-in-charge of a ward to give a
demonstration on hand hygiene techniques at the morning ward handover rounds.
 WHICH EDUCATION METHODS CAN BE USED TO
TRAIN STAFF IN INFECTION PREVENTION AND
CONTROL? CONT.

• Alternative methods include formal IPC courses, distance learning (including small-group, self-
study and collaborative learning, video demonstrations and e-learning (online short courses).
WHO SHOULD PROVIDE TRAINING OF
HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN INFECTION
PREVENTION AND CONTROL?

• The responsibility of providing training in IPC usually falls to the IPC practitioner or IPC
team.
• However, involvement of other senior healthcare workers is important as staff members
are more likely to follow the advice of respected clinical leaders and colleagues.
• There may also be additional nursing staff appointed for clinical training at some facilities
(called clinical co-ordinators). These clinical co-ordinators, as well as IPC link nurses, may
be able to provide some IPC training to their colleagues.