Health care associated infections are those infection acquired
by patient and staffs in healthcare system also known as Nosocomial
infection or Health acquired infection .
Four ways by which healthcare workers can prevent health care
associated infections in patient and themselves.
- Most important way to prevent and control health care
associated infections in patient and themselves is by frequent
Handwashing . Gloves can't replace handwash and 80% of diseases
acquired in health care can be prevented by Handwashing .
Handwashing is to be done by health care worker a) before touching
patient b) before clean /aseptic procedure c) after body fluids
exposure risk d) after touching a patient e( after touching
patient's surrounding . Handwashing to be done following all steps
of handwashing thus preventing risk of cross infection and
healthcare associated infection in between patients and
staffs.
- PPE that is personal protective equipment includes gloves ,
gown , mask , face shield and apron is to be weared wherever
necessary by healthcare workers such as in case of contact
infection risk , can be prevented by wearing gloves and gown to
avoid exposure of blood and body fluids. Airborne infection can be
prevented by wearing N95 mask before entering patient room and
providing cohort and private room to prevent risk of healthcare
associated infection in other patients and staffs . Droplets
infection can be prevented by wearing surgical mask when within 3
feet of patient and thus preventing themselves as well as other
patients by reducing chance of cross infection also private room
can be provided.
- Third most important way is to follow infection control
protocol of health care facilities by health care worker and proper
Waste disposal and waste management is to be done by following
biomedical waste management and proper disposal of waste generated
in correct bag so that disease causing or infection causing waste
can be identified and considered hazardous and thus avoid risk of
infection and exposure to others.
- Another most important way to prevent health cre associated
infection in patient and themselves is by proper Sterilization
before surgery , during surgery , wound dressing and any procedure
which requires sterilization. Disinfection of linens , instruments
should be done by health care workers by opting appropriate method
of disinfection to prevent infections . These can be done to
decontaminate instruments , linen and to kill organism so that
aseptic environment can be provided. Also intravenous catherter ,
urinary catheter , ventilator associated pneumonia etc can be
prevented by proper disinfection and using aseptic techniques by
health care workers .
Thus the four ways healthcare workers can prevent health care
associated infections in patients and themselves mentioned above.
As basically to control infection two major method is opted -
Standard precautions and Transmission based precautions. Standard
precautions include Handwashing , PPE, waste disposal and
Decontamination ( disinfection and sterilization) . Transmission
based precautions are contact precautions , airborne precautions
and droplet precautions mentioned above in ways.
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