http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis-a/Pages/Introduction.aspx
What is ‘Universal Precautions’, and the history about it?
‘Universal Precautions’ were first recommended in 1985, by the Centres for
Disease Control in America, in response to the risk of transmission of HIV to health care workers from patients whose infection status was unknown. Initially they dealt only with body fluids capable of containing blood borne viruses. In the
Late 1980’s the UK adopted universal precautions but they were expanded to
Include all routes of transmission and all body fluids/substances capable of
Containing pathogenic micro organisms, this could potentially lead to cross infection between patients. This expanded version is known as ‘Universal Infection Control Precautions.’
Some hospitals use the term Universal Infection Control Precautions (UICP) and
Others use the term Standard Precautions. The terms are now interchangeable.
What are "Universal Precautions"?
Universal precautions are infection control guidelines designed to protect people from diseases spread by blood and certain body fluids. Always assume that all "blood and body fluids" are infectious for blood-borne diseases such as HBV (Hepatitis B Virus), HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) and HIV (Human Immune-deficiency Virus).
It is impossible to identify all service users who are either colonised with bacteria or carriers of blood borne viruses. It is therefore the recommended approach to assume that all service users are potential carriers of pathogenic organisms. The same basic level of precaution must therefore be taken with all service users, thus minimising the potential for infection transmission.
These are the following universal precautions that are important in everyday life:
- Treat all body fluids as potentially infected
- Clean up immediately Wash hands regularly and thoroughly
- Always wear Gloves & Aprons
- Use Masks and eye protection where appropriate
- Dispose of waste safely
- Check local arrangements
- Clinical waste in yellow bags
- Community staff responsibilities
- Dispose of needles and sharps safely
- Injury by needle/sharp
- Every work area has a flow chart - follow it
- advice
- Contact Occupational Health or A&E
- Clean your wound
- A trained colleague will talk to the patient and obtain blood for testing
- Protect or cover your skin
- Keep skin in good condition
- Use moisturisers appropriately
- Cover wounds or broken skin with suitable dressing
COMMON DISEASES: Transmission & Symptom
IN GRYFRIERS, WHEN CARE WORKER WANTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH SERVICE USERS, THEY SHOULD THE FOLLOWING THINGS TO PREVENT INFECTIONS SPREADING:
1) Remove coat before
2) Entering isolation room and only take in essential equipment.
3) Wear protective clothing.
4) prior to leaving room:
a) Remove protective clothing and place in clinical waste bag inside room.
b) Wash hands
5) After leaving isolation room, immediately outside:
a) Wipe stethoscope / tourniquet etc. with 70% alcohol wipes.
b) Apply 70% alcohol hand rub to all parts of hands.
c) Replace coat.
Training to help the care workers know the importance of universal precautions.
Training is of vital importance for care workers, if they are to undertake their work safely. Under the requirements of the National Minimum Care Standards, workers in the care sector are required to be suitably trained in Infection Control. This publication forms an essential part of Leicestershire County Council’s Adult Social Care Service, Infection Control training programme.
http://www.learnonline.nhs.uk/NR/rdonlyres/49101592-EE5F-4718-8A17-0560F9D07DF2/0/infcon.pdf
Special precautions
Special precautions are taken when a individual service has a condition requiring the carer to wear double gloves and/ or to wear grown or mask. The procedures set out must be clearly followed.
Infection control precautions are essential in the control and management of all infectious diseases. In wherever healthcare is being provided, like Greyfriers, must be adopted.
Influenza is spread primarily through droplets and as such additional, specific measures will be required to control this spread.
What is droplets and how they occur?
This category of transmission based precautions is intended to reduce droplet transmission. Droplet transmission occurs when large-particle droplets from an infectious service user make contact with the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, or conjunctivae of a susceptible service user. Droplets may be generated in the course of talking, coughing, or sneezing and during procedures involving the airway, such as intubation or bronchoscopy. Transmission via large-particle droplets differs from airborne transmission in that the former requires close contact between the source and recipient service user as large droplets do not remain suspended in the air and can usually travel only short distances.
Other micro-organisms primarily spread via the droplet route include:
- Diphtheria
- Meningococcal disease
- Mumps
- Whooping cough
Maria in greyfriers was suffering from influenza, and did not really care about how to keep hygienic, when she sneezed or coughed she would not cover her mouth, this lead on other service user in catching influenza.
What is alcohol hand gel?
Alcohol hand gel is a quick, easy and effective way to routinely clean the hands without the need for soap and water. It contains anti-microbial agents which kill micro-organisms on the hands. Alcohol hand gel contains added moisturisers to help replace natural oils and prevent drying of the skin.
How does the alcoholic gel help infections from spreading?
The act of hand hygiene is simple but effective against the possibility of cross- contamination between patient –patient or indeed another part of the patient‘s body. Hands should be washed before and after each patient contact and when moving from one part of the same patient to another. There also is another way which infections can be prevented, and that is by using alcoholic gel, service users and care workers are being asked to 'stop, gel and go' to help stamp out infections.
The gel is very convenient for care workers, service user and visitors on the move because they don’t have to be next to a sink to use it.
Effective cleaning of hands by visitors can help to prevent the spread of micro-organisms to vulnerable patients. Hands should be cleaned on entering and leaving Greyfriers. It is advised that young children wash their hands rather than use alcohol hand gel.
How to apply Alcohol Hand Gel
- Make sure your hands are visibly clean.
-
Apply one to three shots of alcohol gel from the dispenser to dry hands. Do not apply any water to your hands
- Rub alcohol hand gel over ALL surfaces of your hands and wrists (don’t forget the nails, thumbs and fingertips) until all of the alcohol gel has evaporated and your skin feels dry
- Avoid getting the gel onto clothing
Although using the gel can help prevent infections from spreading, the best way is to wash your hands; Alcohol hand Gel does not kill all the bacteria on the hands. Hands should be washed with soap and water.
The main way that micro-organisms are spread from one place to another is on the hands. We transfer some of the micro-organisms on our hands to everything we touch. Cleaning hands effectively reduces the spread of micro-organisms.
http://www.iow.nhs.uk/uploads/Infection/pdfs/Alcohol_Hand_Gel_V2.pdf
In greyfriers nursing home, the care workers are planning on getting the alcoholic gel for visitors, service users and care workers to use, they will be putting it on the entrance and exit of the nursing home. This will help prevent infections from spreading, so there will be less people getting affected by the infections.
A few years in greyfriers nursing home, the service users used to share beds in the medical room, this was not a good thing, as it leads to spreading infections from one service user to another, and it made the service users more ill.