Why is infection control important in medical facilities

The first containment zone has been set up in New Rochelle, New York, Disney is closing its theme parks, and Congress is meeting over an emergency aid bill for hourly-wage Americans who live paycheck to paycheck. The stock market has lost a third of its value, with no bottom in sight, which will have long-term devastating effects on the world financial system.

With the coronavirus now officially a pandemic and spreading exponentially, it is hard to know where things will stand as you read this a couple of weeks after the World Health Organization's March 11 announcement. While epidemiologists are getting a workout as world leaders look to them for guidance about COVID, professionals such as infection control directors, infection preventionists, nurses, and healthcare facility managers are preparing for the possibility of an overwhelming influx of patients, triggering shortages of critical medical resources and supplies.

Against this backdrop, a blog post about infection control may seem more than ordinarily relevant. However, the fact that 1 out of 25 or 30 as estimates vary hospital patients have a healthcare-associated infection HAI certainly merits attention on its own. Obviously, concern over HAIs is not just for hospitals, but for any environment where healthcare is provided.

Infection prevention and control is defined as a practical sub-discipline of epidemiology, focused on preventing HAIs. Since we're doing an overview of the topic's importance to hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare environments, let's ask two basic questions:. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections 2. Surgical site infections 3. Bloodstream infections 4. Pneumonia 5. Clostridium difficile. While the list above covers infections transmitted through invasive procedures, instruments, and equipment surgery, catheters, ventilators , it omits an important category, and that is infections transmitted by air or water in the healthcare environment.

As discussed in our November post, Tools for Infection Control in Hospital Maintenance and Construction , a well-known pathogen that thrives in water is legionella. Airborne pathogens can be mold spores, viruses, or other microbes, and pose a particular danger to immunocompromised patients. Once a construction project is completed, a proper deep-cleaning is essential to prevent tactile contamination from dust and bacteria on surfaces. Here are a few of the top practical measures for preventing the person-to-person spread of infection.

According to the U. National Library of Medicine, proper hand washing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection in hospitals. It's critical to note that rubber gloves should be used only after thorough handwashing, not as a substitute for it. Hand Hygiene. Good hand hygiene means washing your hands with soap and water or using a waterless, alcohol-based hand gel or foam product to clean your hands.

We encourage everyone to wash their hands thoroughly at hand hygiene stations located throughout the hospital and at all entrances and exits. Clean your hands with alcohol based hand rub unless your hands are visibly soiled, then soap and water is preferred.

Respiratory infections like the flu spread easily. Hands may look clean, but germs are always present; some harmful, some not.

These germs are often passed from person to person either directly by hands or indirectly by equipment or general surroundings. It is important that patients, visitors and staff regularly wash their hands. Hand washing is especially important before eating snacks and meals and after using the toilet, bathroom or commode.

Hand wipes are available if you cannot get to a handwash basin. If you have wound dressings, stitches, a catheter or other attachments try not to touch them any more than is necessary and always wash your hands afterwards. Bring only essential items with you so your bed area can be kept clean and tidy. If you have any concerns about cleanliness, please talk to a senior member of ward staff or Matron. Visitors should not visit if they feel unwell or are suffering from nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, colds, chest infections, flu type symptoms, undiagnosed rashes or infectious skin conditions.

It may not be appropriate to bring young children or babies onto the ward in order to protect them and in some areas to additionally protect patients who may be particularly at risk from infection. We ask that visitors do not sit on patients' beds, touch or handle any wounds, dressings, medical equipment or any other attachments to the patients. Staff will wear plastic aprons and gloves when required to protect themselves and their patients.