Infection control is a fundamental aspect of healthcare that helps protect both patients and healthcare workers from harmful infections.
What Is An Infection?
An infection occurs when harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites, enter the body and multiply, causing illness.
How Do Infections Spread?
Infections can spread through several routes:
Contact Transmission – Direct (person-to-person) or indirect (touching contaminated surfaces).
Droplet Transmission – Through respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking.
Airborne Transmission – Small particles that remain in the air and can be inhaled.
Vector-Borne Transmission – Spread through insects like mosquitoes or ticks.
What Are Standard Precautions?
Standard precautions are a set of infection control practices that should be used on every patient, regardless of their diagnosis or suspected infection status. These precautions focus on blood, all body fluids, secretions, mucous membranes, and broken skin. Healthcare workers are expected to adhere to strict practices like proper handwashing, using safe needle devices, safe disposal of sharps, and ensuring medical waste containers are used correctly. For items like soiled dressings, double-bagging is crucial to prevent contamination.
Hand Hygiene
Good hand hygiene is at the core of infection control. Frequent handwashing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers helps remove harmful pathogens from the hands, reducing the risk of spreading infections.
Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Perform hand hygiene before and after patient contact, after removing gloves, and after contact with bodily fluids.
Transmission-Based Precautions
In some cases, transmission-based precautions may be necessary. These precautions are used when patients have known or suspected infections that could be spread through the air, droplets, or contact. Transmission precautions include limiting patient transport, placing patients in private rooms, isolating infected patients, or grouping them with others who have the same infection. These measures help prevent the spread of infection to others in the healthcare environment.
Additional precautions are required for certain infections. These include:
Contact Precautions (e.g., MRSA, C. difficile)
Use gloves and gowns when entering the patient’s room.
Limit patient movement outside their room.
Droplet Precautions (e.g., Influenza, COVID-19)
Wear a surgical mask when within 3-6 feet of the patient.
Place patients in private rooms when possible.
Airborne Precautions (e.g., Tuberculosis, Measles, Chickenpox)
Use N95 respirators.
Place patients in airborne isolation rooms with negative pressure.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is an essential barrier that prevents the spread of infections. Different types of PPE are required depending on the nature of the infection and the risk to healthcare workers. Common types of PPE include:
Gloves (latex or non-latex) are worn when handling blood, bodily fluids, non-intact skin, or contaminated surfaces.
Gowns (non-permeable) are worn if splashing or direct body contact is anticipated.
Masks (personal filtration respirators) protect the nose and mouth from airborne droplets or nuclei, helping contain a patient’s secretions.
Eye wear (shields or goggles) are used if there’s a risk of splashing or airborne debris.
Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow when sneezing or coughing.
Dispose of tissues properly and wash hands immediately.
Environmental & Equipment Hygiene
Regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces (e.g., bed rails, doorknobs).
Follow protocols for sterilizing reusable medical equipment.
Properly dispose of biohazardous waste.
Vaccination & Employee Health
Healthcare workers should stay up to date with vaccinations (e.g., flu, Hepatitis B, COVID-19).
Regular health screenings help identify infections early.
Signs and Symptoms of Infection
Infections occur when germs invade the body and begin to grow, leading to a disease state. Common symptoms of infection include fever, fast breathing or heartbeat, pain, tenderness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and redness or swelling in affected areas. These symptoms signal that the body is fighting off the infection.
Infection control practices, such as adhering to standard and transmission-based precautions, using PPE, and recognizing symptoms of infection, are essential for maintaining safety in healthcare settings. Properly implementing these protocols helps minimize the risk of infections, ensuring better health outcomes for both patients and healthcare providers.