HLTIN301AHLTIN301A

Comply with infection control Comply with infection control

policies and procedures in health workpolicies and procedures in health work

What is infection?What is infection?

An illness caused by the spread of micro-An illness caused by the spread of micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi or organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites) to humans from other humans, parasites) to humans from other humans, animals or the environmentanimals or the environment

What is infection?What is infection? There are many terms used to describe There are many terms used to describe

infectious organisms. These include:infectious organisms. These include: ‘‘Bugs’Bugs’ GermsGerms BacteriaBacteria VirusesViruses PathogensPathogens Micro-organismsMicro-organisms FungiFungi ParasitesParasites

Chain of InfectionChain of Infection

Source

Method of transmission

Susceptible host

Exit point

Entry point

Microorganism

How is infection spread?How is infection spread? Infection is spread by a chain of events. A Infection is spread by a chain of events. A

chain of infection involves having the chain of infection involves having the following parts:following parts:1.1. CauseCause

2. Source2. Source

3. Exit3. Exit

4. Method of transmission4. Method of transmission

5. Entry5. Entry

6. Susceptible host6. Susceptible host

How is infection spread?How is infection spread?

11. Cause. Cause – having micro-organisms present – having micro-organisms present2. Source2. Source * Sick people, people who have been exposed to an * Sick people, people who have been exposed to an

infectious agent, but not infectedinfectious agent, but not infected• FoodFood• EquipmentEquipment• WaterWater 3. Exit3. Exit • body fluidsbody fluids• skin contactskin contact• DropletsDroplets• excretions and secretionsexcretions and secretions

HowHow is infection spread? Continued… is infection spread? Continued…

44. Method of Transmission . Method of Transmission –– Direct contact -from one person to anotherDirect contact -from one person to another

Indirect contact - * from surfacesIndirect contact - * from surfaces• ingestion of contaminated food or wateringestion of contaminated food or water• through the air as an airborne particlethrough the air as an airborne particle• via an animal or insectvia an animal or insect

How is infection spread? Continued…How is infection spread? Continued…

5. Entry 5. Entry - cuts or breaks in the skin- cuts or breaks in the skin• Particles entering a normally sterile cavity Particles entering a normally sterile cavity

eg: a cathetereg: a catheter• breaks in the mucous membranebreaks in the mucous membrane• the gastro intestinal tractthe gastro intestinal tract• respiratory tractrespiratory tract

How is infection spread? Continued…How is infection spread? Continued…

6. Susceptible host 6. Susceptible host – elderly– elderly• ImmobileImmobile• Very ill eg: cancer, diabetes or other chronic Very ill eg: cancer, diabetes or other chronic

diseasedisease• using immunosuppressant treatmentsusing immunosuppressant treatments• Anyone who has a combination of the aboveAnyone who has a combination of the above

SourcePeople, Food,

Equipment, Water

Method of transmissionAirborne, direct contact, ingestion, surfaces – objects, benches

Susceptible hostAged, immobile, immuno-suppresant

Exit pointBody fluid, skin, droplets

Entry pointBroken skin, wounds, respiratory, urinary

tracts

Micro-organismBacteria Fungi Viruses

Hand washing, sterilizing, disinfecting, cleaning, immunisation

PPE, Hand washing waste disposal control body fluid

Food handling, sterilization, airflow control, hand washing

Wound care, catheter care, hand washing

Recognise high risk patients, treat diseases,

Identify micro-organisms

BREAKING

THE CHAIN OF INFECTION

How is infection transmitted?How is infection transmitted?

There are 4 main ways that infection can be There are 4 main ways that infection can be transmitted:transmitted: Direct/Indirect contactDirect/Indirect contact (person to person or via (person to person or via

third person/environment)third person/environment)

AirborneAirborne (fine spray is coughed in the air, travel (fine spray is coughed in the air, travel more than 1 metre) / Droplet (large respiratory more than 1 metre) / Droplet (large respiratory droplets, less than 1 metre)droplets, less than 1 metre)

VehicleVehicle – (food/water etc.) – (food/water etc.)

Vector Vector (living animals/insects)(living animals/insects)

Standard PrecautionsStandard Precautions

are defined as the basic work practices are defined as the basic work practices required to provide a minimum level of required to provide a minimum level of infection control. They infection control. They are recommended are recommended for the treatment and care of all clientsfor the treatment and care of all clients regardless of the clients’ diagnosis or regardless of the clients’ diagnosis or presumed infectious status. presumed infectious status.

Why would this be so?? Activity Question.Why would this be so?? Activity Question.

Standard Precautions. Standard Precautions. Continued…Continued…

Work practices that are used in all Work practices that are used in all circumstances to achieve a basic level of circumstances to achieve a basic level of infection control infection control

They are aimed at reducing the spread of They are aimed at reducing the spread of infectionsinfections

They apply to all clients regardless of They apply to all clients regardless of known infectious statusknown infectious status

They are aimed to protect the Health Care They are aimed to protect the Health Care Worker as well as the client.Worker as well as the client.

Standard Precautions. Standard Precautions. Continued…Continued…

Used for all clients, regardless of infectious Used for all clients, regardless of infectious statusstatus

Used when risk of exposure to blood or body Used when risk of exposure to blood or body fluidsfluids Blood (including dried blood)Blood (including dried blood) All other body fluids, secretions & All other body fluids, secretions &

excretions excretions Open wounds/broken skinOpen wounds/broken skin Mucous membranesMucous membranes

Standard Precautions. Standard Precautions. Continued…Continued…

Apply to –Apply to –

Hand hygieneHand hygiene

Personal protective equipment (PPE)Personal protective equipment (PPE)

ImmunisationImmunisation

Aseptic technique for wound careAseptic technique for wound care

Safe handling of sharpsSafe handling of sharps

Standard Precautions. Standard Precautions. Continued…Continued…

HAND HYGIENE HAND HYGIENE

Is the most important Is the most important

precaution to precaution to

prevent the prevent the

transmission of transmission of

infectioninfection

Additional PrecautionsAdditional Precautions

Are used in ADDITION to Standard Are used in ADDITION to Standard Precautions.Precautions.

They are used when Standard Precautions They are used when Standard Precautions are not enough to prevent transmissionare not enough to prevent transmission

of organisms.of organisms.

They are work practices that interrupt the They are work practices that interrupt the spread of a known infection eg: spread of a known infection eg: gastroenteritisgastroenteritis

Additional Precautions. Additional Precautions. Continued…Continued…

Address the different ways in which Address the different ways in which organisms are transmitted:organisms are transmitted:

AirborneAirborne Droplet Droplet Direct / Indirect Contact Direct / Indirect Contact

Risk ManagementRisk Management

Look after your own safetyLook after your own safety Do not place others at risk. You must Do not place others at risk. You must

report & document any outbreaks or report & document any outbreaks or suspicions of outbreaksuspicions of outbreak

Use PPE and clothingUse PPE and clothing Comply with policies, procedures, Comply with policies, procedures,

instructions, practices and legislative instructions, practices and legislative requirements of the organisationrequirements of the organisation

Privacy & ConfidentialityPrivacy & Confidentiality Principles guide the:Principles guide the: CollectionCollection Use & disclosure – Use & disclosure – only disclose necessary & relevant info.only disclose necessary & relevant info.

Storage & qualityStorage & quality Transfer of personal informationTransfer of personal information

LegislationLegislation & Standards & Standards

South Australian legislationSouth Australian legislation National legislationNational legislation Australian & New Zealand StandardsAustralian & New Zealand Standards

Accreditation & Infection Accreditation & Infection ControlControl

It is essential to ensure that you check, It is essential to ensure that you check, follow and abide by the procedures set out follow and abide by the procedures set out in your organisations policies and in your organisations policies and procedures in relation to infection controlprocedures in relation to infection control

Standard 4.7 – “an effective infection Standard 4.7 – “an effective infection control program” control program”

Implications for care provided, eg: Implications for care provided, eg: handwashing, use of PPE, etchandwashing, use of PPE, etc

LOGBOOK activity. LOGBOOK activity.

ConclusionConclusion

Remember privacy and Remember privacy and confidentialityconfidentiality

LegislationLegislation Policies and ProceduresPolicies and Procedures Personal protective equipmentPersonal protective equipment HAND HYGIENEHAND HYGIENE

ConclusionConclusion

Principles of infection control apply in Principles of infection control apply in all settingsall settings

Standard Precautions should be Standard Precautions should be applied to all work practicesapplied to all work practices

Additional precautions apply when Additional precautions apply when preventing the transmission of preventing the transmission of known infectionsknown infections