Welcome Infection prevention & Control.

[Virtual Presenter] Good morning everyone. Today, I'm here to talk to you about Infection Prevention and Control. My name is Sandra Longford and I am your Infection Prevention and Control Champion and Link Advisor for SDEC. In this presentation I will be educating you on how to prevent the spread of infections and why it is important to do so. At the end of this presentation, there will be a quiz to assess your understanding of the material. So, let's get started!.

[Audio] In this presentation I will be discussing the infection prevention and control policy at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust and what the expectations are in regards to dress code and infection prevention. This policy applies to all staff, so it is important that you understand the eight elements of standard precautions that are important to maintain a safe working environment. These elements are hand hygiene, cleaning and decontamination, safe handling and disposal of waste, sharps safety, personal protective equipment, safe handling of blood and bodily fluid spillages, safe handling of used linen, and respiratory hygiene. I look forward to discussing these topics in more detail..

[Audio] Infections can have a serious impact on both patients and healthcare workers. MRSA and Clostridium difficile together caused 9000 deaths in hospitals or in primary care in 2007. Each year in England, approximately 300000 people contract a healthcare associated infection - resulting in a financial burden on the healthcare system. Therefore, it is essential that everyone has a basic understanding of how germs can spread and have measures in place to reduce the risk of infection. But it must be remembered that infections can spread between staff, from staff to patients, from patients to staff, and even from staff to their families at home. This highlights the importance of prevention as it is much better than cure. Following the guidelines of this presentation can help to keep people healthy and reduce the risk of the spread of avoidable infections, so please remember to regularly wash your hands..

[Audio] Hand hygiene is an essential aspect in controlling the transmission of infections. It is the responsibility of our team to practice the five moments of hand hygiene: washing hands before and after having direct contact with a patient, before and after a clean or aseptic procedure, before administering IV medications, after handling bodily fluids, and after touching the patient or their surroundings. Following the hand hygiene policy is critical to maintaining a safe clinical unit..

[Audio] Proper hand hygiene is essential for preventing the transmission of disease and infection. This audit is an important step in keeping the Standards of Diagnostic Evaluation Centre (SDEC) up to date. The results of the audit for the four categories present in the SDEC are outlined in this slide. Category 1, Category 2, Category 3, and Category 4 all had scores that either met or exceeded the standard set by Dr / ACP. This indicates that comprehensive and effective hand hygiene measures are in place and regularly monitored..

[Audio] Our trust requires healthcare providers to make sure that all staff working in or entering a clinical environment display a professional and smart image. Appropriate uniforms should be worn at all times, with sleeves either rolled up or short enough to leave the forearm uncovered, and with plain wedding bands as the only jewellery allowed below the elbow. Additionally, NHS approved ID badges are mandatory. Any other staff working outside patient areas may wear lanyards with safety breakaway clips. Our dress code helps to maintain a professional image and clearly communicate our loyalty and dedication to providing quality healthcare..

[Audio] Good morning everyone. Hair, jewellery, nails and footwear are all important elements of personal hygiene in clinical areas and are regulated by the trust. When it comes to hair, it should be clean, neat and tidy. If you have long hair, it has to be tied back and off the collar. Male staff should be either clean shaven or maintain their beards and mustaches well. Visible body piercing such as piercings on your ears, eyebrows, lips and noses are permitted, but only with small, discreet studs. Also, all staff should keep their fingernails short, clean and neat. Varnish, false nails, extensions or nail jewellery are not allowed when working in a clinical environment or when wearing trust uniform. As for footwear, shoes should be plain, non-slip and wipeable, and open backed shoes, Crocs and vented shoes are not permitted. Thank You..

[Audio] "Smoking is harmful to your health and those in your vicinity. All hospital staff must comply with the smoking policy established by SDEC. The use of any type of smoking device, such as traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vaping pens, is prohibited while in uniform, both on and off hospital premises. Failure to abide by this policy will result in reports being issued..

[Audio] Maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene in our clinic is essential for the safety of our patients and staff. Reusable medical devices must be decontaminated between patients, and it is the responsibility of all staff to be knowledgeable of the sterilization process. We must ensure that all treatments and care abide by Health and Safety guidelines, so that our patients receive the highest standard of care. The Infection Prevention and Control Team is available to provide assistance and answer any questions you may have. Cleaning Audits are conducted regularly to guarantee our standards remain at 100%. Working together is necessary to reach our target..

[Audio] Proper disposal of medical waste is critical to ensure infection prevention and control. Healthcare waste has the potential to be toxic, hazardous and/or infectious, requiring that all of us follow procedures for disposal. Different types of waste must be separated into different waste streams. Contaminated items, such as disposable PPE from infectious patients, must be disposed of in the infectious waste stream. Non-infectious waste like tiger stripe incontinence pads, nappies, and non-infectious PPE should be disposed of in the non-infectious waste stream. Domestic waste such as paper towels, tissues, and food waste must be disposed of in the black domestic waste stream, while recyclable waste including plastic bottles, cans, paper and cardboard should be disposed of in the green recycling stream. It is essential that all staff are aware of the different types of waste and the correct procedure for disposal, to ensure our responsibility towards our patients and the environment..

[Audio] Sharps disposal and protocols for sharps injuries are covered in this slide. All sharps must be disposed of in approved containers. The containers should be labeled with the assembly date. Do not pass sharps from one person to another, and handle them only as necessary. Do not re-sheath needles, and do not fill the sharps bins above the full line. No general waste should be placed in sharps bins. All medical procedure-related injuries such as syringes, scalpels, and lancets should be reported to occupational health. In case of a needlestick injury, remember to squeeze, wash, dry and report..

[Audio] We must ensure that we use the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect both ourselves and others from infection. As per the law, individuals should be provided with gloves, masks, goggles and eye protection and aprons in order to prevent any potential injury. It is important to keep in mind that gloves should not be used as a substitute for handwashing and both gloves and masks should be changed regularly. After use with a patient, masks and aprons should be thrown away with an isolated patient. Taking the correct steps to use PPE correctly will ensure we are protecting ourselves and others from potential illness..

[Audio] Essential for healthcare workers to protect themselves and their patients, infection prevention and control protocols should be followed, especially when dealing with spills of blood or bodily fluids. These fluids should be assumed to pose a potential risk and addressed swiftly, safely and effectively. To avoid contamination, shared areas such as toilets, wash basins, and door handles should be kept clean. Furthermore, any contaminated surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly to reduce risk of the spread of any harmful micro-organisms..

[Audio] Linens such as bedding, towels, clothing and curtains should be handled with caution. Minimize handling of infected linens and use water-soluble membrane bags when appropriate. Protective clothing such as aprons and gloves must be worn to prevent spread of contamination. Laundry should be frequently and regularly cleaned to avoid buildup. Store clean linen above the floor level in a separate room to prevent cross contamination..

[Audio] Coughing or sneezing without covering one's mouth and nose puts others at risk of contracting infectious diseases. To reduce the risk of spread, it is important to always carry a tissue to catch the cough or sneeze, and dispose of it as soon as possible. Additionally, cleaning hands after contact with a used tissue helps to eliminate germs that may have been passed on. With these simple practices, we can help to prevent the spread of infection..

[Audio] Answering this challenging set of questions requires considering several topics. When handling infected linen, gloves and aprons should be worn, while equipment needs to be disinfected to reduce the number of microorganisms. For disposing of clinical waste, a red bag should be used. Standard practices of infection control are 8 in total and include hand hygiene, use of PPE, safe use and disposal of sharps, safe handling of linen, cleaning and decontamination, management of blood and bodily fluids, waste management, and environmental cleaning. In addition, when caring for a patient, wearing a ring with a plain band or false nails should be avoided. Lastly, patients' personal hygiene is not part of Standard Infection Control Precautions..

[Audio] The last question of this quiz is to name all eight infection prevention and control measures - hand hygiene, waste disposal, linen/laundry, sharps disposal, personal protective equipment, cleaning and decontamination, blood and bodily fluids and respiratory hygiene..

[Audio] I'd like to take a moment to highlight Sandra Longford, our Senior Clinical Support and Infection Prevention & Control Champion and Link Advisor for SDEC. Her expertise and dedication have been invaluable in helping us and our clinical teams work to maintain best practice in Infection Prevention & Control. I now invite you to take our quiz to test what you've learned. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my presentation. I hope you enjoyed the presentation..