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INFECTION
CONTROL –
IT’S IN
YOUR
HANDS
Infection Prevention & Control
THE BASICS
HAND HYGIENE
- NO ARTIFICIAL NAILS
- CLEANSING HANDS - THE MOST IMPORTANT MEANS OF
PREVENTING
THE SPREAD OF INFECTION
Germs don’t have a
chance with the proper
use of these weapons.
Soap / Water
Alcohol-based hand
hygiene products
Hand Hygiene
Two different ways to keep your hands germ free
Soap and water for 15 seconds.
(Make bubbles while applying
friction).
Alcohol hand rub if no visible
soiling present on hands.
Hand Hygiene is JCAHO’s # 7 Patient Safety Goal
Speak-up Campaign for Patients
Encouraging patients to ask the Healthcare Worker (HCW) about
handwashing!
STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
Healthcare workers must treat all
blood & body fluids as infectious.
Standard Precautions also include:
• Hand Hygiene
• Personal Protective Equipment
shields,goggles
(PPE) gloves,gowns,masks,face-
• Anticipate Your Exposure
• Use Sharp-Safety Devices
• Clean Surfaces Regularly
• Appropriate Waste Disposal
(Red bags, regulated medical waste)
PPEs
Wear them proudly.
BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS
“The Big 3”
HIV, HEPATITIS B AND HEPATITS C
SPREAD THROUGH CONTACT WITH BLOOD &
BODY FLUIDS
HIGH RISK BEHAVIORS:
Sharing Needles or other sharp objects
Unprotected Sexual Contact
Unclean Tattoo Parlors
Accidental puncture from contaminated needles and other sharps
can result in transmission of Bloodborne pathogens.
Safety Needles, Devices and PPEs = Protection.
Hepatitis B
Vaccinated:
If you have received the vaccine (all 3 shots) and
have developed immunity, virtually no risk for infection.
Unvaccinated:
Risk from single needlestick or cut 6-30%
Depends on the Hepatitis (antigen of sources blood).
Hepatitis C
Limited studies available but risk seems to be about 1.8%.
HIV
Average risk for HIV infection to develop after needlestick or cut
exposure to HIV blood is 0.3%
Risk after exposure to HIV blood through splashes to eyes, mouth or nose is 0.1%
RESPIRATORY ETIQUETTE
A.K.A. Good Health Manners
Cover coughs and sneezes
with tissue or your upper
sleeve, NOT your hand.
Put used tissues in trash ASAP.
Patients who can’t cover
their coughs might be
asked to wear a mask.
Don’t forget to:
wash
wash
wash
Keep your germs to yourself
Make Respiratory Etiquette your “Modus Operandi.”
RESPIRATORY ETIQUETTE
Simple Steps Help
Infections
What Healthcare workers can do:
• Encourage patients to wash hands
• Wear mask/eye protection if close to coughing patient (within 3ft)
• Place patient in private room or away from other patients if cough &
fever are present and suspect contagious disease
• Provide patients with tissues; teach them to cover their coughs
Sample Sign
Might see this sign in facilities
Lets now put the “Spotlight” on
Tuberculosis (a.k.a. TB)
TB is an airborne disease
“ the germ is in the air”
Certain procedures must be followed when caring for
a patient with known or suspect TB
•HCWs wear a N-95mask or PAPR for any room entry
•Keep the patient’s room door closed at all times
(special air handling room, negative air pressure)
•When in the patient room:
- Encourage patients to Cover Coughs with a tissue
- Encourage patients to wash hands
•When patients leave their rooms, make sure they are
wearing a surgical mask (e.g. during any transport)
After Standard Precautions &
Respiratory Etiquette comes,
Transmission-based PRECAUTIONS
Standard Precautions & Respiratory Etiquette use doesn’t control all communicable diseases.
Organisms (a.k.a. germs) can be spread in different ways.
Respiratory droplets: Influenza, Rubella, Bacterial Meningitis
Inhaled airborne: Tuberculosis (TB), Smallpox, Chickenpox
Direct contact: Diarrhea (e.g. C. difficile), skin infections, & multidrug resistant organisms (e.g. MRSA, VRE)
Transmission-based PRECAUTIONS
Always Communicate to others when patients are in isolation
For any room entry don appropriate PPE
Clean ANY shared equipment between Patients
Although Isolation Signs
May Appear Different, ALL
Will Have:
- a STOP Sign
- List of Room Entry PPE
Transmission-based Precautions = isolation.
STOP
WASH HANDS!
Before Entering &
Leaving

Use Standard Precautions, Cover Cough
GLOVES REQUIRED
GOWN REQUIRED
MASK REQUIRED
___Surgical
___ N-95 or
PAPR
IMMUNIZATIONS,
INJURIES
&
Employee Health
-HEPATITIS B VACCINE
-ANNUAL TB RISK
ASSESSMENT
-Other vaccinations
- REPORT ALL INJURIES
If you have a work related
injury, including needlestick or
blood exposure, immediately
notify your supervisor, & report
the injury to Employee Health.
Infection Control
Most facilities will
have the following on
their intranet:
Regional policies & procedures
Facility specific policies & procedures
(Infection Control Manual) 
 Links, Resource Center
 Educational material
 Lots of valuable information
Example of a Screen Shot: Infection Control Regional Site.
Links on the left allow user to “check out” their specific facility
Add to “Favorite” web sites folder.
- Compassion
-Excellence
- Respect
- Justice
-Stewardship