Good Hygiene Practice

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Sherri Coltman                    BTEC LEVEL 2 Yr12 Unit 2                  Mrs Quay

Good Hygiene Practice. 

For this task I have been asked to identify basic hygiene principles in a childcare setting. These include principles of cross-infection, disposal of waste, food handling, handling body fluids, the issues concerning the spread of HIV and hepatitis and encouraging good hygiene practise in children.

What is cross infection?

Cross infection is an infection spread from one organism to another because of a poor barrier protection. It is a common and important mode of infection with many varieties of organisms, including bacterial diseases, viral hepatitis A and some other faecal-oral infections, such as scabies, fungus infection, pinworms, and roundworms. Cross infection can occur in day-care centres, schools, nursery’s, prisons and other settings where individuals and groups interact with one another. Cross infection is a potential problem in all-institutional settings.

Infections can come from touching dirty soil which wild animals have left faeces of some type. Insects are another way of transmitting infections because if food is left un-covered a fly could land on it and contaminate it.

Viruses can be spread through contaminated water and food. Also viruses like HIV can be spread through your blood stream if your blood has come into contact with someone who is infected with HIV. Food, which is undercooked, can give a child Salmonella or E.coli, which can also be given to another child if they have eaten the same food. It is not advisable to drink tap water in another country because they don’t all have a good water system for cleaning the water. The drinking result of contaminated water is diarrhoea.

Bacteria can be transmitted from animals and the air. Wild animals like birds carry bacteria in their faeces and on their body itself. If a child touches the faeces with out knowing they could not only make themselves ill they could make another child ill. The air carries a lot of bacteria because when we are in room with no windows open and people have colds all the bacteria are floating around in the classroom.        

What we could do to prevent cross infection.

  • Wash your hands after going to the toilet, changing babies, touching animals and before dealing with food.
  • Make sure you dispose of dirty nappies and other solid items correctly.
  • Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and dispose of the tissue probably.
  • Cover any cut of grazes that you have and use latex’s gloves when dealing with children.
  • Never use food that has gone past its use by date.
  • Make sure that children do not let animals lick their faces and that they wash their hands after touching them.
  • Check to make sure that animal faeces have not contaminated gardens and sand pits.
  • Make sure hair is tied back when dealing with food and were a hair net if you have long hair.
  • Were plastic gloves when dealing with blood.
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These points are important because when dealing with waste products, body fluids and many more things, which can cause cross infection, these points can help you to stop cross infection.

How to dispose of waste products.

  • If you are changing a baby’s bum you should always make sure that the changing mat is clean and that you are wearing gloves. To dispose of the nappy you should put it in a nappy bag which is resalable and put it clinical waste bags. Always wash your hands and the changing mat after you have dealt with ...

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