Infection Prevention Tips in the Health Care Setting

Infection Prevention is critical in the health care setting. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year more than 2 million people in the United States get infections while receiving medical care, and about 90,000 of them die as a result. That’s why it’s important for nurses and other healthcare professionals to be aware of Infection Prevention tips to protect themselves and their patients. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most important Infection Prevention tips for nurses and healthcare professionals.

Hand Hygiene:

is one of the most important Infection Prevention measures. Nurses and other healthcare professionals should wash their hands thoroughly and often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Environmental Disinfect:

All surfaces in the patient care area should be cleaned and disinfected regularly. This includes door handles, countertops, bedrails, etc.

Disinfect Medical Equipment:

Any equipment that comes into contact with patients or their bodily fluids should be properly cleaned and disinfected after each use. This includes blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, thermometers, etc.

Use Personal Protective Equipment:

When caring for patients with infectious diseases, it is important to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection.

Standard benefits of using Personal Protective Equipment:

• Protect yourself from getting infected.
• Protect your patients from getting infected.

Emotional Benefits:

• Feel safe and protected while caring for patients.
• Know that you are doing everything possible to keep them safe.

Hopefully, these Infection Prevention tips will be useful to nurses and healthcare professionals. You can also improve your emotional health by

reading a health and lifestyle blog. Remember, hand hygiene is always the first line of defense against infection!

Waste Disposal:

All medical waste should be properly disposed of in designated Waste Containers.

There are many types of medical waste Containers, but the most common are red infectious waste Containers and yellow sharps Containers. Red infectious waste Containers are for general medical waste, such as paper products, gloves, gowns, and masks. Yellow sharps Containers are for disposable syringes, lancets, and other sharp items.

Blood and Body Fluids:

All blood and body fluids should be treated as potentially infectious. Any time you come into contact with blood or body fluids, you should use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection. You should also take care to properly clean and disinfect any surfaces or equipment that come into contact with blood or body fluids.

Occupational Safety:

Nurses and other healthcare professionals should be aware of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for bloodborne pathogens. These standards are designed to protect workers from exposure to blood and other body fluids that may contain infectious diseases.

The OSHA Standards:

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities have a written Exposure Control Plan that outlines how they will protect workers from exposure to blood and body fluids.

Workers who may be exposed to blood or body fluids must be trained in the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and proper infection control procedures.

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities must have PPE available for workers who may be exposed to blood or body fluids.

Workers who are exposed to blood or body fluids must be offered immunizations against Hepatitis B and other bloodborne diseases.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, following these Infection Prevention tips can help to keep you and your patients safe from infection. Hand hygiene is always the first line of defense, so be sure to wash your hands often and thoroughly. Also, remember to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when working with patients or their bodily fluids, and clean and disinfect any surfaces or equipment that come into contact with blood or body fluids. Finally, be sure to properly dispose of all medical waste in designated Waste Containers.