Home Care Aide Training Guide Infection Control and Standard Precautions Pre-Service Training Course #1 Home Care Aide Orientation
HomeCareAide
TrainingGuide
InfectionControlandStandardPrecautions
Pre-ServiceTrainingCourse#1
HomeCareAideOrientation
TrainingManual:InfectionControl&StandardPrecautions Page3
TableofContentsCourseObjectives.........................................................................................................................................4
InfectionControl..........................................................................................................................................4
Germs...........................................................................................................................................................5
Infections......................................................................................................................................................6
HowCanYouHelpBreakTheChainOfInfection?...................................................................................8
StandardPrecautions...................................................................................................................................9
Compliance...................................................................................................................................................9
Handwashing..............................................................................................................................................10
HandwashingHowTo.............................................................................................................................11
ACTIVITY: PracticeProperHandwashing........................................................................................11
TrainingManual:InfectionControl&StandardPrecautions Page4
CourseObjectives
Bytheendofthiscourseyouwillbeableto:
• Defineagerm
• Definetheenvironmentagermneedstoliveandgrow
• Explainthechainofinfection
• Explaintheimportanceofhandwashingininfectioncontrol
• Demonstrateproperhandwashingwithinandatappropriatetimes
• Defineinfectioncontrol
• Definestandardanduniversalprecautions
InfectionControl
Infectionsareamajorsafetyandhealthhazardtoboththecaregiverandtheirclient.Someinfectionsareminorandcauseshortillnesses.Othersareseriousandcancausedeath.Infectionscanbeespeciallyseriousforvulnerableinfantsandolderpersons.Caregiversandmedicalprofessionalshaveanimportantroleinprotectingpatients,residents,visitorsandthemselvesfrominfection.
Germsaresmall(micro)plantsoranimals(organisms)thatcanbeseenonlywithamicroscope.Germsareeverywhere:intheair,food,soil,andwater;andinthemouth,nose,respiratorytract,stomach,intestines,andskinofhumansandanimals.
Somegermscauseinfectionsandareharmful.Thesearecalledpathogens.Nonpathogensaregermsthatusuallydonotcauseaninfection.
TrainingManual:InfectionControl&StandardPrecautions Page5
Therearethreetypesofgerms:
Bacteria–microscopic,onecell,plantlifethatmultiplyrapidly.Bacteriacancauseinfectioninanybodysystem.
Fungi–plantsthatliveonotherplantsoranimals.Mushrooms,yeastsandmoldsarecommonfungi.Inhumans,fungicaninfectthemouth,vagina,skin,feetandotherbodyareas.
Viruses–verysmallmicroscopicorganismsthatgrowinlivingcells.Theycausemanydiseasesincludingthecommoncold,herpes,diarrhea,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome(AIDS)andhepatitis.
Germs
Germsrequireanenvironment(host)toliveandgrow.People,plants,animals,soil,foodandwaterarecommonplaceswheregermsgrow.Germsmustgetwater,oxygenandnourishmentfromtheirhost.Awarm,darkenvironmentisalsoneeded.
Mostgermsgrowbestatbodytemperatureandaredestroyedbyhighheatandultravioletlight.
Germsarefoundinmostorgansinthedifferenthumanbodysystems,i.e.,thelungs,theintestinesandontheskin.Thesegermsarecallednonpathogens(normalflora)whencontainedwithintheirownbodysystems.Whenanonpathogenistransmittedfromonesystemtoanotheritbecomesapathogen.
Forexample,Escherichiacoli(E.coli)isnormallyfoundinthelargeintestine.Feces(bowelmovements)containE.coli.Afterbowelmovements,alwayswipingfromfronttobackwillpreventE.colifromenteringtheurinarysystemandcausinganinfection.Whenwedon’twashourhandsaftergoingtothebathroom,orifthehandwashingispoor,theE.colicanalsospreadtoanythingthosehandstouch,i.e.,doorhandles,food,etc.Thisisoneexampleofhowinfectionscanbespreadtootherpeople.
TrainingManual:InfectionControl&StandardPrecautions Page6
Infections
Aninfectionisadiseasestateresultingfromtheinvasionandgrowthofgermsinthebody.Alocalinfectionisinabodypart.Asystemicinfectioninvolvesthewholebody.
Pathogensdonotalwayscauseinfection.Thedevelopmentofaninfectiondependsonthefollowingconditionsbeingpresent:
- germ(source) -methodoftransmission- growth-producingenvironment -entrypoint- exitpoint -asusceptiblehost
Thesourceisagerm.Thegermmusthaveanenvironmentwhereitcangrowandmultiply.Humansandanimalsarecommonenvironmentsforgerms.
Althoughtheymaynothaveanysignsorsymptomsofinfection,humansandanimalsmaybecarriersandcanpassgermstoothers.Wherethegermleavesthehostenvironmentiscalledtheexitpoint.
Exitpointsincludetherespiratory,gastrointestinal,urinary,andreproductivetracts;breaksintheskin,theblood,andbodyfluids.
GERM
ENVIRONMENT
EXIT POINT
TRANSMISSION
ENTRY POINT
SUSCEPTIBLEHOST
TrainingManual:InfectionControl&StandardPrecautions Page7
Whenagermleavesthehost,itmustbetransmittedtoanotherhost.Methodsoftransmissioncanbe,butarenotlimitedto:
• throughcontaminatedfood,wateranimals,personalcareitemsordirectcontact
• bydirectcontactwithbloodandbodyfluids,wounddressingsinsectbites“droplets”intheairfromcoughingorsneezing.
Thegermmustenterthebodythroughanentrypoint.Pointsofentryandexitarethesame.Asusceptiblehost(apersonatriskforinfection)isneededforgermstogrowandmultiply.
Thehumanbodycanprotectitselffrominfection.Aperson’sabilitytoresistinfectionisaffectedbytheirage,nutritionalstatus,stress,fatigue,generalhealth,medicationsandthepresenceofdiseaseorinjury.Vaccinationsalsohelptoprotectthebodyfromcertaininfections.
Remember,aninfectionisadiseasestateresultingfromtheinvasionandgrowthofgermsinthebody.Whenaninfectionoccursthebodytakesstepstofightitoff.
Someofthesignsandsymptomsofinfectionare:
• Fever
• Fastbreathingorfastheartbeat
• Painortenderness(canbespecifictotheinfectedareaorgeneralizedforsystemicinfections)
• Lossofenergy
• Lossofappetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Rash
• Soresonmucusmembranes
• Rednessandswellingofabodypart
• Dischargeordrainagefromtheinfectedarea
TrainingManual:InfectionControl&StandardPrecautions Page8
Peopleareindividualintheirresponsestoinfection.Notallpeoplewillexperienceallofthesesymptomsandsomewillexperiencetheseinvaryingdegrees.Careprovidersneedtoknowtheirclient’sbaselinehealthstatusandbeabletorecognizeanyofthesesignsandsymptoms.
HowCanYouHelpBreakTheChainOfInfection?Youcanpreventthespreadofgermsbyadoptingthefollowingpractices:
1) Washyourhandsafterurinatingorhavingabowelmovement.Alsowashyourhandsafterchangingfemalesanitaryproducts,children’sdiapersoradultincontinencepads.
2) Washyourhandsaftercontactwithyourownoranotherperson’sblood,bodyfluids,secretionsorexcretions.Theseincludesaliva,vomitus,urine,feces,vaginaldischarge,mucus,semen,wounddrainage,pusandrespiratorysecretions.
3) Provideallpersonswiththeirowntoothbrush,drinkingglass,towels,washclothsandotherpersonalcareitems.
4) Coveryournoseandmouthwhencoughing,sneezingorblowingyournose.
5) Bathe,washhairandbrushyourteethregularly.
6) Washyourhandsbeforeandafterhandling,preparingoreatingfood.
7) Washfruitsandrawvegetablebeforeeatingorservingthem.
8) Washcookingandeatingutensilswithsoapandwaterafteruse.Don’tforgetcuttingboards,countersandanythingtouchedbyrawmeat.
9) Usinggloveswhenhandlingobviouslysoiledmaterialandthenperforminggoodhandwashingwhenfinished.
TrainingManual:InfectionControl&StandardPrecautions Page9
StandardPrecautions
TheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)haveupdatedtheirguidelinesforprotectinghealthcareworkersfromexposuretoinfectiousdiseases.
Theguidelinesincludetwotiersofprecautions.
Thefirstandmostimportanttiercontainsthoseprecautionsdesignedtodecreasetheriskoftransmissionofdiseasetothehealthcareworkerthroughbodyfluids.Thistieriscalled“StandardPrecautions.”Standardprecautionsareusedwhencaringforanyperson,regardlessoftheperson’sdiagnosisandwhetherthepersonisknowntohaveaninfectiousdisease.
“StandardPrecautions”applytosituationswhencaregiversareincontactwith:
1) Blood
2) Allbodyfluids–secretionsandexcretions–except
sweat.
3) Brokenskin(opensores,cuts,etc.)
4) Mucusmembranes
Compliance
Tocomplywiththesestandardprecautionsthe
followingpracticeisexpected.
Gloves—Mustbewornwhencontactwithblood,allbodyfluids,secretionsandregardlessofwhethertheycontainvisibleblood,brokenskin,andmucousmembranes.
Gownsoraprons—Mustbewornduringproceduresorsituationswhenyouanticipatesubstantialsoiling,exposuretobodyfluidsblood,drainingwounds,ormucusmembranes.,
Maskandprotectiveeyewear—Mustbewornduringproceduresthatarelikelytogeneratedropletsofbodyfluidsorbloodorwhenthepersoniscoughingexcessively.They
TrainingManual:InfectionControl&StandardPrecautions Page10
mustbewornwhenyouaregoingtobewithinthreefeetofexposuretotheanticipateddroplets.
Handwashing—Handsmustbewashedbeforeglovingandafterglovesareremoved.Handsandotherskinsurfacesmustbewashedimmediatelyandthoroughlyifcontaminatedwithbodyfluidsorbloodandafterallclientcareactivities.Caregiverswhohaveopencuts,soresontheirhandsmustwearglovesforallclientcontactorberemovedfromclientcontactuntilthehandsarehealed.Alcoholhandrinsesmaybeusedif:
1) thehandsarenotvisiblysoiled
2) asinkisnotreadilyavailable
Multiple-useclientcareequipment—Whenusingequipmentoritemsthataresharedbymorethanoneclientitmustbeadequatelycleanedanddisinfectedafteruseorwheneveritbecomessoiledwithbloodorotherbodyfluids.Youmaywipethepersonalcareitemswithanydisinfectant,includingalcohol.
Healthcareprofessional,includingcaregivers,areatanincreasedriskoftransmittingandhostinginfections.Howevertheseriskscanbegreatlyminimizedoreveneliminatedbyunderstandingsimpleinfectioncontrolconcepts.
Itisyourresponsibilitytodoallyoucantopreventinfectionsinyourclientsandyourself.
Handwashing
Handwashingwithsoapandwateristheeasiestandmostimportantwaytopreventthespreadofinfection.Youuseyourhandsinalmosteverytask.Theyareeasilycontaminated.Withouthandwashing,germsonthehandsspreadtootherpersonsoritems.
Washyourhandsbeforeandaftergivingcare!!
TrainingManual:InfectionControl&StandardPrecautions Page11
HandwashingHowTo1) Makesureyouhavesoap,papertowels,orangestickornailfileandawastebasket.
Arrangetohaveallitemseasilyavailable.
2) Pushyourwatchorsleevesfourtofiveinchesupthearms.
3) Standawayfromthesinksoyourclothesdon’ttouchthesink.
Standsothesoapandfaucetareeasytoreach.
4) Turnonthefaucet.Adjustthewateruntilitfeelswarmandcomfortable.
5) Wetyourwristsandhandsthoroughlyunderrunningwater.
Keepyourhandslowerthanyourelbowswhilewashing.
6) Applyaboutateaspoonofsoaptoyourhands.
7) Rubyourpalmstogetherandinterlaceyourfingerstoworkupagoodlather.
Thisstepshouldlast15-20seconds.
8) Washeachhandandwristthoroughly.Cleanwellbetweenthefingers.
Cleanunderthefingernailsbyrubbingthetipsofyourfingersagainstyourpalms.
9) Useanailfileororangesticktocleanunderthefingernailsifnecessary.
10) Rinseyourwristandhandswell.Watershouldflowfromthearmstothehands.
11) Repeatstepssixthroughtenifneeded.
12) Dryyourwristsandhandswithpapertowels.Patdrystartingatyourfingertips.
13) Discardthepapertowels.
14) Turnofffaucetswithcleanpapertowelstoavoidcontaminatingyourhands.
15) Discardpapertowels.
ACTIVITY: PracticeProperHandwashing