10 of standard infection control precautions
Working with humans comes with a serious risk of infection transmission. If proper infection control precautions are not implemented in a hospital or care facility, patients with highly contagious infections pose a significant threat to others (especially new-borns, the elderly, and those with other illnesses). However, every organisational setting must have standard infection control precautions in place to deal with such threats.
In this article, we will discuss the standard infection control precautions (SICPs) that are to be used by all staff in all care settings at all times for all patients, whether the infection is known to be present or not, to ensure the safety of those being cared for, staff, and visitors in the care environment.
What are standard infection control precautions?
SICPs are the most important infection control and safety precautions that need to be taken to reduce the risk of diseases from both known and unknown sources.
When giving care, the standard precautions for preventing infections are used based on the threat to and from the person. This includes the task, level of interaction, and/or anticipated level of exposure to blood and other bodily fluids.
Standard infection control and precautions must be used consistently by all staff to effectively protect against infection risks. SICP implementation monitoring must also be ongoing to ensure compliance with safe practices and to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to patient, staff, and visitor safety as required by the Health and Safety Executive and the care regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The following are the 10 standard infection control precautions:
1. Patient placement or assessment for infection risk
When the patient gets to the hospital or care facility, they should be checked for infection risk right away, and they should be closely watched the whole time they are there. This assessment will help with client placement decisions as well as treatment. Patients who may be at risk of cross-infection include:
a) with diarrhoea, vomiting, unexplained rashes, fever, or respiratory symptoms.
b) Has been tested before and found to have a multi-drug-resistant organism (MDRO), such as MRSA or CPE.
c) who have been inpatients in any hospital in the UK or abroad or who have a known epidemiological link to a carrier of CPE.
2. Hand hygiene
Hand hygiene is one of the most important ways to control the spread of infections. Every organisation, especially healthcare facilities, should ensure that all individuals in the organisation have access to liquid soap, warm water, and paper towels. It is always advisable to avoid bar soap and, if hands are not visibly dirty, go for alcohol hand gels, but they are not effective against organisms that cause gastroenteritis, such as norovirus. Advise everyone to always clean their hands and cover cuts and abrasions with a waterproof dressing.
3. Respiratory and cough hygiene
Respiratory diseases can be spread by coughing, sneezing, wiping your nose or mouth, or blowing your nose. Cover your nose and mouth to stop the spread of infection.
a) Use the crook of the arms if disposable tissues are not available.
b) Dispose of used tissues properly.
c) Wash hands thoroughly with non-antimicrobial liquid soap and warm water.
d) Keep contaminated hands away from eyes, noses, and mouths.
Care staff should promote respiratory and cough hygiene while helping those who need it, such as by providing tissues, practicing hand hygiene, and so on.
4. Personal protective equipment (PPE)
PPE can keep people and healthcare workers from getting infections from germs in their blood or bodily fluids. In all organisations, PPE should be used in conjunction with risk assessment and should be proportionate to the risk identified. Risk assessments look at both the risk of occurrence and the impact and should be dynamic and long-term to cope with emerging situations. This ensures all the patients, including those who require additional assistance, are taken care of.
Wear disposable gloves and plastic aprons whenever there is a chance of splashing or contamination. All the PPE should be single-use disposable, non-powdered vinyl/nitrile, or latex-free, and CE marked. If you are at risk of getting blood or body fluids on your face, wear a fluid-repellent surgical facemask and eye protection. If reusable, decontaminate before using again.
5. Safe management of the environment
The care environment must be clean, free of things that aren't necessary, well-kept, in good repair, and have enough ventilation for the clinical specialty. Every care facility should follow the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) risk assessments for how products are used and how the care environment is cleaned.
To help cut down on the number of respiratory germs, all occupied spaces should have good airflow. Open windows and doors and clean the environment routinely in accordance with the National Cleaning Standards. Cleaning surfaces/frequently touched sites in the care area with detergent wipes is acceptable. The cleaning protocols should specify who is responsible for what, how often, and how the environment is decontaminated.
6. Safe management of care equipment
Blood, other body fluids, secretions, excretions, and infectious agents can easily contaminate care equipment. It is easy to transfer infectious agents from communal care equipment during care delivery. Single-use, single-patient use, reusable invasive equipment, and reusable non-invasive equipment are the different types of care equipment.
Never give medication to multiple patients from a single-dose vial or intravenous (IV) bag. Domiciliary care equipment should be transported and decontaminated safely before leaving the patient's home. Always follow COSHH risk assessments and the manufacturers' instructions for the use and decontamination of all care equipment.
7. Safe management of linen and soft furnishings
Soft furnishings should ideally have a wipeable surface. If laundry facilities are required, choose a location away from food preparation, hand washing facilities, and a washing machine with a rinse or pre-wash cycle. Wash the linen at least once a week and whenever it appears dirty. Care workers should change their uniforms or wear cotton tabards and wash them at the hottest temperature specified on the garment. Furthermore, thoroughly washing all contaminated clothing and hands can help to control and prevent infections.
8. Safe management of blood and bodily fluids
Blood, body fluids, secretions, waste, and infectious agents can all contaminate germs that cause infections. It is not always evident whether a person has an infection, so precautions should always be taken. If you expect to get splashed, wear PPE, like gloves and an apron, and decide if you need protection for your face and eyes. Use a product that is both a detergent and a disinfectant while cleaning in order to kill bacteria and viruses. Use disposable paper towels or cloths to clean, which should be disposed of immediately and safely.
Take standard precautions when managing cuts, bites, nose bleeds, and bodily fluids. Be aware of the set safety policies, as they include the names of nominated first aiders who are properly trained. Also, use Standard Infection Prevention and Control precautions to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
9. Safe disposal of waste (including sharps)
Under the waste management duty of care, settings must make sure that a licensed waste management company takes care of all the trash. Place used PPE in a refuse bag and dispose of it as normal domestic waste; it should not be put in a recycling bin or dropped as litter. Sometimes, when it comes to nurseries, there can be a lot of nappy waste, which might not be dangerous but can be hard to deal with. In such cases, it is important to set up a clinical waste management system for the control of and precautions against infection.
10. Occupational safety/managing prevention of exposure (including sharps)
The Health and Safety (sharp instruments in healthcare) Regulations 2013 spell out the legal requirements for healthcare employers and contractors regarding how sharps should be used and thrown away safely, how employees should be informed and trained, and what should be done when sharps injuries happen at work.
Sharp containers should be kept in a safe place where they are less likely to spill, and they should be brought to where they will be used with a temporary way to close them when not in use. If a member of staff is hurt by a sharp object or there is a chance of contamination, they should go to the hospital right away, and any exposure should be looked into.
Nurses Group Homecare is the leading care provider in Yeovil, UK. We ensure that all our carers are aware of and follow the standard infection control precautions, not only for the safety of our clients but also for their own safety. We provide standard infection control precaution training to enhance their ability to deal with various circumstances that might occur while providing care.