Your Role In Infection Prevention &

Control
Campus Orientation Presentation

1
Objectives
Upon completion of this presentation, associates will be able to:

 Recognize why hand hygiene (HH) is important to control the spread of

organisms
 Identify best practices for HH to control the spread of organisms and
improve patient safety
 Recognize when and how Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be
used in the healthcare setting
 Describe best practices for cleaning and disinfection of reusable patient
care equipment
 Identify types of isolation precautions
 Describe respiratory hygiene practices
Infection causing germs are everywhere. We need to make certain
that we protect our patients and ourselves.

Each “X” in the picture below represents an area that cultured

positive for a drug resistant bacteria.
Hand Hygiene
Hand Hygiene (HH)
• Germs are everywhere and are spread when you
touch something that is contaminated and then
touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without
performing HH

• HH with soap and running water or hand

sanitizer is the most effective way to prevent the
spread of organisms in the hospital

• The use of gloves does not replace the need for

cleaning your hands

• Always use soap and water when your hands

are visibly soiled and/or if the patient is on
Special/C Diff Isolation Precautions
When to perform hand hygiene…
Perform hand hygiene regularly throughout the day,
especially:
• When first arriving at work and before leaving
• Before and after treating a patient
• Before and after putting on or removing gloves
• After touching blood or any other body fluid or substance, broken
skin or mucous membranes
• After touching anything in the patient’s environment
• As soon as you remove your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Before and after eating, drinking, smoking and after using the
restroom

GEL IN AND GEL OUT!

Hand Hygiene
Soap and Water Hand Wash:
1. Wet hands and keeping hands lower than
your elbows, apply the soap
2. Wash for at least 20 seconds, working up
a lather
3. Cover all surfaces of the hand, paying
close attention around fingernails and
between fingers
4. Rinse well under running water, pat dry
with a paper towel
5. Turn faucet off with paper towel

How to Use Alcohol Hand Rub:

6. Dispense metered dose
7. Rub the gel or foam on all surfaces of the
hand, paying close attention around
fingernails and between fingers
8. Allow to air dry
Why are alcohol-based hand rubs so
great?
• Alcohol-based hand rubs (foam
or gel) kill more effectively and
more quickly than handwashing
with soap and water.
• They are less damaging to skin
than soap and water, resulting in
less dryness and irritation.
• They require less time than
handwashing with soap and
water.
• Bottles/dispensers can be
placed at the point of care so
they are more accessible

9
Hand Lotions
Hand lotions are important to prevent skin dryness and
irritation. You should use only hospital-approved hand
lotions. Other lotions may:
• make hand hygiene less effective
• cause breakdown of gloves
• become contaminated with bacteria if dispensers are
refilled

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Personal Protective Equipment
What is the purpose of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
PPE is used to prevent and control infections. Specific types of PPE include:

• Gloves – remember to perform hand hygiene before donning (putting on) and after
removal

• Gowns – if it’s possible that clothing might come in contact with infectious material
(urine, stool, blood, vomit)

• Goggles/Eye Shields – If splash or splatter is a possibility

• Masks –if splash or splatter is a possibility

Always:
 Appropriately wear the PPE (gown tied in the back)
 Remove items before exiting the room, and
 Change after having contact with infectious material
Correct Use of Gowns
• Wear a gown during
procedures that are likely to
generate splashes or sprays
of blood, bodily fluids,
secretions, or excretions.
• Secure gown appropriately.
• Remove a soiled gown as
soon as possible, and
practice hand hygiene after
removing the gown.

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N-95 Respirators
• Depending upon your job duties you
may be fitted in your pre-employment
physical and annually to wear the proper
sized N-95 Respirator mask

• Only employees fit tested for N-95

masks are allowed to enter the room of
a patient on Airborne Isolation

AHMCEGV and AHMCHE ONLY:

• If you cannot be fitted for N-95, a
Powered Air Purifying Respirator
(PAPR) should be obtained from
your department
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Cabinets or Isolation Carts

• PPE Cabinets or Isolation Carts are

placed on or near Isolation room doors

• PPE cabinets or Isolation Carts should be

checked for adequate supplies every
shift

• PPE (including N95 respirators) are one

time use
Standard and Transmission Based
Precautions
Standard Precautions
Standard precautions were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• They apply to every patient from newborns to geriatric
• They apply to every department from Admitting to the OR

Standard Precautions are the minimum infection prevention practices that apply to all patients,
regardless of suspected or confirmed infection, in any setting where healthcare is delivered.

Standard Precautions include:

1) Hand hygiene,
2) Use of PPE (e.g., gloves, gowns, masks),
3) Safe injection practices,
4) Safe handling of potentially contaminated equipment or surfaces in the patient environment
5) Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette.
Why Isolation Precautions?

Isolation precautions are used to prevent the spread (transmission) of

pathogens (germs) from a known or potential source to another patient or
health care worker.

We want to keep the “bugs” in the room!

Types of precautions we use:

Contact, Special Contact, Droplet, Airborne

Contact Precautions
• Contact precautions help to prevent spread of
infectious diseases transmitted by touching body
substances/environment contaminated with the
infectious material

• Gloves and gown must be worn by everyone entering

the patient’s room. Be prepared for the unexpected!

• HH, along with proper handling and disposal of

contaminated items and disinfection of reusable patient
care equipment, is essential.

• Some conditions that need Contact Precautions:

• MRSA - colonized or infected
• VRE – colonized or infected
• Major or minor draining wounds (unable to be
contained by dressing)
• RSV
• Scabies
• Impetigo - Pediculosis
Special Precautions
Special Precautions are used for patients with suspected or
confirmed Clostridium difficile (Cdiff, CDI) and Norovirus

Patients must have a private room

Privacy curtains must be removed at discharge or room transfer prior to

cleaning the room

Perform hand hygiene with soap and water ONLY

BLEACH must be used for cleaning and disinfecting of the environment and
reusable patient care equipment

Remember to leave the isolation sign in place until the room has been made
ready for the next patient!
Droplet Precautions
• Droplet precautions prevent the spread of
infectious diseases that are transmitted by
coughing or sneezing

• Requires the use of masks within 3 feet of the

infectious patient

• HH, along with proper handling and disposal

of contaminated items and disinfection of
reusable patient care equipment, is essential

• Conditions that require Droplet Precautions:

• Influenza (Flu)
• Streptococcus pharyngitis (strep throat),
bacterial pneumonia, scarlet fever
• Haemophilus influenza / Neisseria Meningitis
• Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Rubella (German Measles)
• Mumps
Airborne Precautions
• Airborne precautions prevent the spread of
infectious diseases such as Chicken Pox* Varicella,
Disseminated Herpes Zoster (shingles), and
Tuberculosis

• They are spread by airborne pathogens that are

breathed, sneezed, or coughed into the
environment and can remain suspended in the air
for prolonged periods of time.

• Requires the use of N-95 respirator or PAPR when

entering the room.

• Requires negative-pressure with 6-12 air changes

per hour. The door must be kept closed to
maintain the air pressure balance between the
isolation room, the hallway and anteroom.

• Visitors should be kept to a minimum and only wear

a surgical mask!
Transportation of a Patient on Isolation Precautions
• For all isolation patients:
• Alert receiving department of patient’s isolation status
• Equipment (bed, IV pole) leaving a patient’s room must be cleaned with the hospital
approved disinfectant before exit
• Remove PPE BEFORE leaving the room and perform hand hygiene
• Contact Precaution Patients:
• Change patient’s gown, cover patient with clean linens, and instruct patient to
perform hand hygiene prior to leaving his/her room
• Droplet Precaution Patients:
• Place simple mask on patient before transport
• Change patient’s gown, cover patient with clean linens, and instruct patient to
perform hand hygiene prior to leaving his/her room
• Airborne Precaution Patients:
• Place simple mask on patient before transport
Respiratory Hygiene
Respiratory / Cough Etiquette
Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette are infection
prevention measures to decrease the transmission of
respiratory illness such as influenza or cold viruses in
healthcare facilities – part of STANDARD PRECAUTIONS

• Educate patients, families, and visitors about

respiratory infections and how they are transmitted

• Use posted signs with pictures about how to cover

your cough

• Provide anyone who is coughing with a mask

• Physical separation (3 feet) between symptomatic

and non symptomatic individuals

• Hand hygiene after contact with respiratory

secretions
If you are sick, stay home!
Additional Safety Measures for Infection
Prevention and Control
Cleaning and Disinfection
• Cleaning and disinfection is part of STANDARD
PRECAUTIONS

• When possible, restrict the use of non-critical patient

care equipment to a single patient to avoid cross-
contamination (i.e. gait belts, walkers, blood
pressure cuffs)

• Always follow manufacturers directions for cleaning

and disinfection

• All reusable patient care equipment must be cleaned

with a hospital approved disinfectant between every
patient!

• Leave the equipment wet for the specified contact

time as indicated on the product labeling
Specimen Handling
Specimen Transport

• Place the specimen container in a biohazard bag

• If the outside of the bag is contaminated, the

specimen must be double bagged

• Specimen bags should be placed in red biohazard

trash

AHMCEGV and AHMCHE Associates ONLY:

• Junior Volunteers (under 18 years of age) may not

transport specimens.

• Volunteers will bring a red transport box and put the

specimen in the box to be transported.
 Additional Information for Associates
• Infection prevention policies are on the intranet under your designated facility

• Refer to the policies when you have questions about “type and duration” of
precautions/isolation needed for selected infections and conditions

• You will also find your facility’s exposure control plan, hand hygiene policy, TB
policy, etc.
Employee Health
 Blood-borne Pathogens

• Blood-borne pathogens are infectious microorganisms in human blood

that can cause disease in humans.
• Blood-borne pathogens include, but are not limited to:
• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• Anyone who works in a healthcare environment is at risk for exposure to
blood-borne pathogens.

You may not know, just by looking at a patient, that they have a blood-borne
infection.
Needlestick / Blood-borne Pathogen Exposure
What do I do now?
 Needlestick / Blood-borne Pathogen Exposure
What do I do now?

1. Immediately cleanse the area with soap and water. If your eyes or other
mucus membranes are involved, thoroughly flush the area with water.
2. Promptly and accurately report the exposure or injury to your
manager/nursing supervisor.
3. Immediately report to the Emergency Department (ED) to be seen by a
physician. Take the SOURCE patient identification and location
information to the ED.
• If the SOURCE is outpatient, do not send the patient home until
their blood is drawn.
4. Complete a Sedgwick/Employee Safety Event report within 24 hours of
incident.
5. Attend a follow-up evaluation appointment with Employee Health within
72 hours.
 Go to the Emergency Department (ED)

• You will have baseline blood tests drawn for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV
1/2.
• You may receive a tetanus toxoid booster, if indicated.

• The SOURCE patient will be tested for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and

a stat Rapid HIV.

• The Lab will release the SOURCE patient’s HIV status to the ED physician.
• The ED will notify you of those results.

• Prophylactic medication needs to be given within 2 hours, if needed.

• Follow up with Employee Health within 72 hours.

 Sharps Safety Practices

Using Sharps Containers

• Never overfill a sharps container.

• Never force a sharp into a sharps container.
• Never reach into a sharps container.
• Never open, empty or reuse a sharps container.

Handling Sharps

• DO NOT use a needle that you are unfamiliar with.

• Activate the safety device immediately after use.
• Never throw a sharp into the trash.
• DO NOT set aside a used sharp.
• Dispose of it in a marked sharps container immediately after use.
 Sharps Safety Practices

• Be prepared

• Be aware

• Dispose with care

www.cdc.gov/SharpsSafety/PPT/4PreventingNeedlesticksPartIII.ppt
Thank you!