"Infection prevention and control is the discipline concerned with preventing healthcare-associated infections..."
Understanding the basic principles of preventing the spread of infectious diseases and maintaining a clean and safe environment for patients.
Microbiology: The study of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, that cause infections.
Disease transmission: The ways in which infections can be spread, including direct contact, indirect contact, droplet transmission, airborne transmission, and vector-borne transmission.
Hand hygiene: Proper hand washing and hand sanitizing techniques to reduce the spread of infection.
Personal protective equipment (PPE): Equipment such as gloves, masks, and gowns used to prevent the spread of infection between patients and healthcare workers.
Environmental cleaning: Proper cleaning and disinfecting of patient rooms, medical equipment, and common areas to prevent the spread of infection.
Standard precautions: The basic infection control practices used in healthcare settings to prevent the spread of infection.
Isolation precautions: Special precautions used when treating patients with certain infectious diseases to prevent the spread of the disease.
Vaccinations: The importance of getting vaccinated to protect oneself and others from infectious diseases.
Antibiotic stewardship: The appropriate use of antibiotics to prevent the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Outbreak management: The process of identifying and controlling outbreaks of infectious diseases in healthcare settings.
Surveillance: The monitoring of infection rates and identifying potential outbreaks.
Sterilization and disinfection: The difference between sterilization and disinfection, and the different methods used to achieve both.
Waste management: Proper disposal of medical waste to prevent the spread of infection.
Patient education: The importance of educating patients on proper infection control practices to reduce the spread of infection.
Occupational health and safety: The importance of protecting healthcare workers from infectious diseases while on the job.
Hand hygiene: This is the most basic and widely used infection control measure. It involves washing hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers to prevent the spread of germs.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): PPE includes gloves, gowns, face masks, and other equipment that healthcare professionals use to protect themselves and prevent the spread of infections.
Sterilization: This involves the use of various methods to kill bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms on equipment and surfaces used in patient care.
Environmental cleaning: Regular cleaning and disinfecting of patient rooms, equipment, and other surfaces in healthcare settings can help prevent the spread of infections.
Isolation precautions: Patients with contagious diseases or infections are usually placed in isolation to prevent the spread of infection to other patients and healthcare workers.
Immunizations: Vaccinations are an effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and healthcare providers are often required to have certain vaccinations.
Screening: Screening patients for infections or risk factors for infections can help identify and prevent the spread of infections in healthcare settings.
Health education: Providing patients, visitors, and healthcare workers with information about infection control measures and how to prevent the spread of infections can help reduce the risk of infection.
"...a practical rather than academic sub-discipline of epidemiology."
"....known as 'infection protection' (smittevern, smittskydd, Infektionsschutz in the local languages)."
"...infection prevention and control is expanded from healthcare into a component in public health..."
"...practiced within the confines of a particular health-care delivery system rather than directed at society as a whole."
"...factors related to the spread of infections within the healthcare setting..."
"...hand washing, cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, and vaccinating."
"...surveillance, monitoring, and investigating and managing suspected outbreaks of infection within a healthcare setting."
"A subsidiary aspect of infection control involves preventing the spread of antimicrobial-resistant organisms such as MRSA."
"...limiting the use of antimicrobials to necessary cases..."
"Antimicrobial medications (aka antimicrobials or anti-infective agents) include antibiotics, antibacterials, antifungals, antivirals, and antiprotozoals."
"The World Health Organization (WHO) has set up an IPC unit..."
"...in its Service Delivery and Safety department..."
"The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes related guidelines."
"Infection prevention and control is the discipline concerned with preventing healthcare-associated infections."
"The purpose of infection protection (smittevern, smittskydd, Infektionsschutz) is to expand infection prevention and control into public health."
"Infection control addresses factors related to the spread of infections within the healthcare setting..."
"Preventive measures in infection control include hand washing, cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, and vaccinating."
"By preventing the spread of antimicrobial-resistant organisms, infection control contributes to antimicrobial stewardship."
"The World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for setting up an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) unit."