In this article
Infection control stands as an absolute imperative in care environments, where the well-being of vulnerable individuals hinges upon the highest standards of safety and care. By arming ourselves with a deep understanding of effective strategies, we possess the power to prevent the spread of infections and protect lives. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore essential practices and innovative approaches that form the bedrock of infection control in care settings.
What are care environments?
Care environments are specialised settings where individuals receive healthcare, support and assistance with their physical, emotional and social needs. These environments include hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centres and home healthcare.
Within all of these different care environments, a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals work collaboratively to provide care. They strive to create a comfortable and healing atmosphere that promotes physical and emotional well-being all while minimising infection risks.
What is infection control?
Infection control is a fundamental framework that safeguards the health and well-being of individuals within care environments. But what exactly does it entail? Essentially, the term encompasses a set of practices and protocols that prevent the spread of infections. In doing so, the risk of harm to both patients and caregivers is minimised.
In a care environment, where vulnerable individuals reside or receive medical attention, the importance of infection control cannot be overstated. With measures in place, there is less of a chance that harmful pathogens like viruses, bacteria and fungi will be around to cause an infection.
The impact of infections in care settings
Infections can have far-reaching effects, often leading to discomfort but also severe illness, complications and even death.
In care environments, where residents or patients often have compromised immune systems, the risk of acquiring healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is significantly heightened. Infections often prolong hospital stays and come with increased healthcare costs. They also have a detrimental impact on the quality of life for those affected.
According to the UK Department of Health, approximately 300,000 patients in England develop healthcare-associated infections each year. One well-known infection is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This is a type of antibiotic-resistant infection, of which 7,070 reported cases were contracted in hospitals between 2021 and 2022.
Infection control works. The occurrence of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), for example, decreased by around 80% after 2006 when national control policies came into effect.
The spread of infections within care environments can lead to outbreaks, causing panic, disruption of services and a decline in the trust placed in the facility’s ability to provide a safe environment for care.
How are infections controlled within the care enviroment?
Infection control encompasses many different aspects of a care environment.
Here are the ways infections are reduced:
Hand hygiene
Clean hands serve as a formidable barrier against the transmission of infectious agents. In care environments, where close contact between caregivers, patients and residents is common, practising meticulous hand hygiene is of paramount importance.
For hand hygiene to be effective, you need to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. All areas must be washed, including the back of the hands, between the fingers and under the nails. When handwashing is not possible, hand sanitisers can be used as an alternative, though they should have at least 60% alcohol content.
Proper hand hygiene should be practised at critical moments, such as before and after patient contact, before performing invasive procedures, after handling contaminated materials and after removing gloves. It is crucial to instil a culture of hand hygiene among all individuals within the care environment, including caregivers, healthcare professionals, support staff and visitors.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment (PPE) also acts as a crucial line of defence in infection control. PPE includes items such as gloves, masks, gowns and eye protection, which serve to protect both caregivers and patients from potential infection transmission.
For example, gloves should be worn when coming into contact with bodily fluids or performing procedures that involve potential exposure to pathogens. Masks, on the other hand, are essential when caring for patients with respiratory infections to prevent the inhalation of droplets containing infectious agents.
It is vital to ensure that PPE is readily available, properly fitted and correctly used by all individuals within the care environment. Training on the proper use, disposal and limitations of PPE should be provided to caregivers and staff to maximise its effectiveness.
Proper disinfection and sanitisation
Disinfection and sanitisation practices are important in ensuring the environment is safe and germ-free. High-touch surfaces should be regularly cleaned and disinfected using appropriate disinfectants. It is crucial to follow manufacturer instructions for disinfectant use, including contact time and concentration, to achieve effective results.
Additionally, the proper handling and disposal of potentially infectious waste, such as used needles and soiled linens, should be strictly adhered to. Adequate waste management protocols help minimise the risk of exposure to infectious materials and maintain a clean and hygienic care environment.
Regular training, supervision and audits should be implemented to ensure compliance with disinfection and sanitisation protocols. By establishing a robust system for maintaining cleanliness, care environments can greatly reduce the risk of infection transmission and provide a safer space for both patients and caregivers.
When an infection does happen how is it controlled?
Infections can occasionally occur within care environments, despite the best preventive measures in place. When an infection occurs, swift and effective control measures will minimise the impact and prevent further spread.
Here are the key strategies employed to control infections within care environments:
1. Isolation and Infection Control Precautions: The infected individual is promptly isolated to prevent the spread of the infection to others. Precautions may include contact precautions (wearing gloves and gowns), droplet precautions (wearing masks) or airborne precautions (wearing specialised masks and ensuring proper ventilation).
2. Enhanced Hand Hygiene: Hand hygiene is reinforced for both caregivers and individuals within the care environment. Strict adherence to proper handwashing techniques with soap and water or the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers significantly reduces the risk of infection transmission.
3. Surveillance and Early Detection: Enhanced surveillance systems are employed to closely monitor individuals within the care environment for any signs or symptoms of infection. This may involve regular temperature checks, symptom screening and laboratory testing to detect infections early on.
4. Treatment and Medication: Prompt initiation of appropriate treatment and medication is vital in controlling infections.
5. Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfection: Cleaning and disinfection practices are intensified to ensure thorough decontamination of surfaces, medical equipment and shared spaces. The use of appropriate disinfectants that are effective against the specific pathogens causing the infection is crucial.
6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Healthcare professionals and caregivers use appropriate PPE like gloves, masks, gowns, face shields or respirators to minimise the risk of exposure to infectious agents.
7. Education and Training: Caregivers and individuals within the care environment are educated about the infection, its modes of transmission and the necessary precautions to prevent further spread. Training sessions and informational materials help promote awareness and reinforce infection control practices.
8. Contact Tracing and Notification: Contact tracing is conducted to identify individuals who may have been exposed to the infection. These individuals are notified and monitored closely for any signs or symptoms, enabling early intervention and preventing further transmission.
9. Communication and Collaboration: Open and transparent communication between healthcare professionals, caregivers, individuals and their families is essential. Clear and timely information regarding the infection, control measures and progress is shared to foster trust, minimise anxiety and ensure everyone is well-informed.
10. Continuous Evaluation and Quality Improvement: Throughout the control process, the effectiveness of infection control measures is continuously evaluated. Lessons learned from each infection incident contribute to ongoing quality improvement initiatives, ensuring that protocols and practices are continuously refined and updated.
How are infections controlled outside the care environment?
While the primary focus is often on infection prevention and control within care settings, it is equally important to manage the potential transmission of infections from external sources.
Here are some key considerations for controlling infections outside the care environment:
Visitor guidelines and screening
Establishing clear visitor guidelines is crucial to minimise the risk of infections being brought into the care environment. Care facilities often implement visitor screening procedures, such as temperature checks or health questionnaires, to identify individuals who may pose a risk of transmitting infections.
Hand hygiene for visitors
Encouraging proper hand hygiene among visitors is essential to reduce the spread of infections. Care facilities typically provide hand sanitising stations at entry points and throughout the premises, along with clear signage and instructions for visitors to practise hand hygiene before and after their visit. This helps minimise the potential transfer of pathogens from visitors to individuals within the care environment.
What happens when an infection is uncontrolled?
When an infection is uncontrolled within a care environment, it can have severe consequences for the individuals affected. It also affects the overall safety and well-being of the care setting.
Here are the potential outcomes and actions taken when an infection remains uncontrolled:
Uncontrolled infections pose a significant risk of transmission to other individuals within the care environment. They can seriously affect those with underlying health conditions and those who are immunocompromised.
Risk of transmission
Uncontrolled infections pose a significant risk of transmission to other individuals within the care environment. They can seriously affect those with underlying health conditions and those who are immunocompromised.
Increased morbidity and mortality
Uncontrolled infections can lead to increased rates of illness, complications and even mortality among those affected. Some infections have severe consequences for individuals with weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions, especially if they’re caused by drug-resistant bacteria.
Outbreaks and cluster infections
If an infection remains uncontrolled, it can escalate into an outbreak or cluster infection within the care environment. This means that multiple individuals may become infected within a relatively short period, leading to a significant impact on the healthcare resources, increased burden on caregivers and potential strain on the overall functioning of the care setting.
Disruption of care services
Uncontrolled infections may necessitate temporary disruptions in care services. If an infection is highly transmissible, like Covid-19 for example, a patient will need to be isolated. This could result in limitations on receiving visitors or restricted access to certain areas within the care facility. Workers or caregivers who are infected may need to take time off to recover, potentially leading to staff shortages and challenges in maintaining continuity of care.
Implementing control measures
Healthcare providers must carry out specific procedures to prevent highly transmissible infections from spreading. This includes patients being placed in an isolation unit or a designated area within the care facility to minimise contact with others. Infected workers may be required to take sick leave until they recover and are no longer contagious. Unwell visitors or those that have been exposed to transmissible infections will likely be restricted from entering the environment until they are deemed non-infectious.
Enhanced infection control measures
In response to uncontrolled infection, the care environment intensifies its infection control measures. They will probably implement stricter hand hygiene protocols, increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfection, enhance personal protective equipment (PPE) usage and conduct contact tracing to identify individuals who may have been exposed.
Collaboration with public health authorities
In cases of uncontrolled infections, care environments collaborate closely with public health authorities. This partnership helps ensure a coordinated response, timely notification of cases, guidance on infection control strategies and access to additional resources and expertise to effectively manage and contain the infection.
Preventing infections from becoming uncontrolled requires a proactive approach that includes robust surveillance, effective communication, adherence to infection control protocols and prompt implementation of control measures. By prioritising these measures, care environments can minimise the risk of uncontrolled infections and safeguard the health and well-being of all individuals within their care.
Are people admitted into care environments safely?
When individuals are admitted into care environments, ensuring their safety and minimising risks is of utmost importance.
Here are the key steps taken to promote safe admissions:
1. Pre-Admission Assessments: Before admitting individuals into care environments, comprehensive pre-admission assessments are conducted. These assessments may include medical evaluations, screenings and interviews to gather essential information about the individual’s health status, medical history and care needs. These assessments help identify any existing infections, communicable diseases or special requirements that need to be addressed to ensure appropriate care and minimise risks.
2. Infection Screening and Prevention: In order to prevent the introduction or spread of infections within care environments, individuals are often screened for infectious diseases before admission. This may involve laboratory tests, such as blood tests or swabs, to detect common infectious pathogens. If an infectious disease occurs, appropriate precautions and interventions must be taken to minimise the risk of transmission to other individuals within the care environment.
3. Coordination with Sending Facilities: In situations where individuals are being transferred from another healthcare facility, coordination and information exchange between the sending facility and the receiving care environment are crucial. This ensures a smooth transition of care and enables the receiving care environment to be aware of any specific risks, infection control requirements or special considerations related to the individual being admitted.
4. Communication with Individuals and Families: Clear and effective communication with individuals and their families is essential during the admission process. This includes providing information about the care environment, its infection control practices, safety measures, and any specific guidelines or expectations. Individuals and their families should also be encouraged to communicate any concerns or questions they may have to ensure a transparent and collaborative admission process.
5. Staff Training and Compliance: Care environment staff undergo comprehensive training on infection control protocols, safety procedures and risk management strategies. This ensures that the personnel involved in the admission process are knowledgeable about best practices and can implement necessary precautions to maintain a safe environment.
6. Regular Environmental Assessments: Care environments conduct regular environmental assessments to identify and address potential risks. This includes monitoring ventilation systems, ensuring proper disinfection practices and maintaining a clean and safe physical environment. Regular assessments contribute to the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and create a conducive setting for individuals’ well-being.
How is infection prevented in care environments?
The prevention of infections is always a top priority in care environments. Firstly, proper hand hygiene is fundamental in preventing the spread of infections. Caregivers, healthcare professionals and individuals within the care environment are educated and encouraged to practise thorough handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or to use alcohol-based hand sanitisers when soap and water are not readily available. Regular hand hygiene is emphasised before and after patient contact, after using the toilet and before handling food.
Overall cleanliness also plays a crucial role in infection prevention. Care environments implement rigorous cleaning protocols, ensuring regular and thorough cleaning of surfaces, medical equipment, shared spaces and high-touch areas with appropriate products.
Proper ventilation within care environments helps minimise the concentration of airborne infectious particles and improves air quality. Adequate airflow and ventilation systems are maintained, ensuring the circulation of fresh air and the removal of potentially contaminated air.
In healthcare settings, adherence to safe injection practices is essential to prevent the transmission of infections. This includes wearing PPE, using sterile equipment for each individual, ensuring proper hand hygiene and disinfection of injection sites and appropriately discarding used needles and syringes in designated sharps containers.
Furthermore, vaccination plays a critical role in preventing infections within care environments. All people who work or stay within the care setting are encouraged to stay up to date with immunisations. This includes vaccinations against things like influenza and pneumonia.
Above all, infection prevention in care environments requires a collaborative approach involving healthcare professionals, caregivers, individuals and their families. Open communication, active participation and a shared commitment to infection control practices create a cohesive and effective prevention strategy.
Is PPE effectively used
PPE is a barrier against potential sources of infection and plays a critical role in preventing the transmission of diseases. Using PPE is standard, but its use needs to be effective.
A key aspect of using PPE effectively is conducting a thorough risk assessment. Care environments assess the potential risks and hazards associated with specific tasks or procedures. Based on this assessment, guidelines are established to determine when PPE should be used to protect both the care provider and the individual receiving care. Risk assessment helps identify situations where PPE is necessary, such as during direct contact with bodily fluids, exposure to respiratory droplets, or when handling potentially contaminated materials.
Correct donning (putting on) and doffing (removing) of PPE is crucial to prevent contamination. Staff members are trained on the step-by-step procedures for donning and doffing each type of PPE. This includes proper hand hygiene before and after wearing PPE, ensuring a secure fit and avoiding cross-contamination during removal. By following these protocols, healthcare professionals minimise the risk of self-contamination and the transmission of infections.
Is infection control training necessary for carers?
A robust training and education programme is essential in establishing a culture of infection control within care environments. Training should cover a wide range of topics, including proper hand hygiene techniques, correct usage of personal protective equipment (PPE), identification and management of infectious diseases and infection control protocols. It is crucial to provide regular updates and refresher courses to ensure that caregivers stay abreast of the latest guidelines and developments in infection control.
Final thoughts on infection control in care environments
By implementing effective strategies such as hand hygiene, proper use of personal protective equipment and thorough disinfection practices, the spread of infections can be minimised. Swift and comprehensive control measures are crucial when infections do occur, including isolation, enhanced surveillance and treatment.
Collaboration, education and continuous evaluation are key to maintaining a safe environment. Additionally, managing infections outside the care environment through visitor guidelines and screening is essential. By prioritising infection control, care environments can provide optimal care while safeguarding the health of those they serve.
