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Nursing Knowledge
Infection control refers to all practices, procedures and rules with the goal of preventing the spread of infectious diseases in healthcare settings (including hand hygiene, PPE usage, sterile equipment, etc).
Infection control training is often mandatory for nurses as part of their initial orientation in healthcare facilities, and periodically throughout their career. Topics typically covered include hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), safe handling of sharps, and waste management.
After nursing school, infection control training is typically offered by hospitals themselves, but there are also online courses and training modules offered by organizations like the CDC.
The terms infection control and infection prevention are often used interchangeably. You can see infection prevention as a subcategory of infection control that focuses on trying to stop infections from occurring in the first place.
Here’s what to look out for in your clients:
Handwashing is the most effective way to prevent infection.
When to perform hand hygiene:
Items needed: soap; warm running water; paper towels
When to use hand sanitizer instead of handwashing:
Steps:
Note: Use a personal moisturizer or lotion to prevent dry skin. Cracked skin increases risk of infection.
Infection control is a very important topic and there are a range of specialized jobs in this field. Typical infection control jobs include environmental health and safety officers, microbiologists, epidemiologists, public health advisors, and of course, infection control nurses.
Infection control nurses are nurses specialized in preventing and controlling the spread of infections within healthcare settings. Tasks include monitoring infection rates in the facility, educating staff on infection control, developing facility policies and taking on an advisory role on the topic. To become an infection control nurse, it may be helpful to obtain a certification in infection control (offered by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology [CBIC]).
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