Hygiene and Infection Control Essays

Hygiene and Infection Control Essays Hygiene and Infection Control Paper Hygiene and Infection Control Paper 1.What is the employer’s role in infection control and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? 1.2/5.6 Employers must provide their employees with appropriate PPE and ensure that PPE is disposed or, if reusable, that it is properly cleaned or laundered, repaired and stored after use. Employer responsibilities: requirement for employer to provide appropriate PPE according to work activities without charge to employee; to train employee as appropriate in use of PPE, reporting mechanisms. 2.What is your role in infection control and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? 1.1/5.5 To use the PPE that your employer has suppliedUsing gloves and changing your gloves when dealing with personal care, toileting and dealing with bodily fluids, also to protect an open wound on your hands.Using aprons to prevent contamination passed through your clothing on to or from a person to also protect your clothes and uniform.Using hand sanitizer after washing your hands for extra protection it may also be used if you feel unsafe to touch or the is no hand washing facilities 3.List and explain some current legislation and regulations or standards that are relevant to infection control and prevention. Include those relating to PPE 2.1/5.4 The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Both employers and employees are responsible for their own actions in the workplace. All reasonable steps should be taken when carrying out your work duties and all staff should have adequate health and safety training, and measures should be taken to ensure that policies and procedures are in place and adhered to. For example, it is the employers’ responsibility to provide adequate protective equipment and the employee’s responsibility to use it appropriately The Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984 Provides information on the legal requirements for the reporting of contagious or infectious diseases, for example, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, HIV and Legionella. Food Safety Act 1990 The requirements of this act apply to any area where food is prepared, stored or eaten. Control is required to ensure that the risks of any infection, as a result of bad handling of food, are minimised. Keep themselves and their workplace clean Wear suitable clean, washable or disposable, protective clothing Protect food from any possible contamination Abide by regulations setting out safe temperature controls for storage, preparation and display of food Inform their employer of any illness which may affect their safe handling of food. 4,What is your organisational policy called? Describe the main points of this policy and some of the procedures that you have to follow. 2.2/3.1 Health and safety polices are in the policies and procedures it tell us about what to do to prevent infection control it tells us how to put gloves on and how to wash our hands also there are posters up in the toilets, how to tie our hair up, cleaning equipment, how to deal with waste and how and when to take special precautions and how not to spread infection. Organisational procedures are normally found in written form in the employee’s manual and in the policies and procedures. 5.What would be the potential impact of an outbreak of infection upon individuals and the organisation? 3.2 Cost implication, staff sickness levels, reduction in patient and public confidence, litigation, not delivering regulatory standards ; on employees; loss of confidence in organisation, loss of earnings, fear of risk of infection and infecting family members. 6.List some potential risks of infection in the workplace 4.2 Potential risks of infection: risk of illness and death particularly (the very old, people with illness or health problems); risk to staff of illness especially those involved in high risk activities (nursing those with infection, contact with bodily fluids which may be contaminated), environments where food preparation is carried out or where the disposal of hazardous waste is carried out’ 7,Describe the process of carrying out a risk assessment. 4.3 Risk assessment process: idetifying hazards; assessing risks; eliminating risks where possible; reducing risks where they cannot be eliminated; recording the risk assessment process; disseminating findings to all concerned, regular reviews of risks to ensure suitable controls are in place; reporting of outbreaks of infectious or notifiable diseases; risk assessment as a continuous process which is the responsibility of organisations and individuals 8.Why is it important to carry out risk assessments in relation to infection prevention and control? Give an example of this in your workplace 4.4 Importance of risk assessment: legal requirement of health and safety legislation to carry out and document risk assessment; proven safe way to control infection if implemented properly by all staff Exanples of Gloves and Aprons Plastic disposable gloves aprons should be worn whenever there is a possibility of contact with blood/body fluids. A separate one should be worn for each occasion of care given to each individual resident. Never reuse or wash single-use disposable glovesaprons. Change gloves and aprons between caring for different residents, and between different tasks for the same resident, if necessary to prevent cross-contamination. Removal of gloves and aprons Remove gloves and apron promptly after use by turning the outer contaminated side inward and rolling into a ball. Dispose of immediately into a pedal operated bin. Wash hands. 9.What type of PPE do you use and when may be used? 5.2/5.3 Types of PPE: single use such as plastic aprons, gloves, face masks etc re-usable such as uniforms Reasons for PPE: protection of staff; protection of service users/patients; prevention of cross infection between individuals 10.Describe how you apply, use, remove and dispose of PPE? 5.5/5.7/5.8 Correct use of PPE including application and removal; using appropriate PPE for work activity; preparation for use Disposal: appropriate disposal of single use items e.g. in clinical/hazardous waste where appropriate; preparation of re-usable items for re-use e.g. sending to laundry appropriately labelled etc: following policies, procedures and guidelines. Example for the Using , Removing and Disposal of gloves- Putting on: Select correct glove size and type. Perform hand hygiene. Pull to cover wrists. Taking off: Grasp the outside of the glove with the opposite gloved hand and peel off. Hold the removed glove in the gloved hand. Slot your finger under the lip of the remaining glove and peel it off, taking care not touch the contaminated outer surface. Dispose of the gloves in the clinical waste bin. Perform hand hygiene. 11.List some good principles of personal hygiene? 6.1 Good personal hygiene: importance of personal hygiene in infection control; personal hygiene routines when preparing for work eg hair washing, fingernails; situations of personal and family illness which could increase infection risks at work; absence reporting procedure, and healthcare checks required before returning to work following illness; vaccinations required for work; appropriate clothing for different work areas; appropriate footwear; how to care for work wear; reasons for restrictions on wearing make-up and jewellery; effective hair care