The Process Of Infection Control

The medical industry is one that requires a lot of focus and money in keeping hospitals and health care centres at its strictest levels of hygiene. Infection control is amongst the top on the list of hygiene procedures, with the recent levels of superbugs spreading fast around the hospital wards. The government and NHS have tightened their regimes in instigating preventative methods for the spread of infections such as MRSA and C-diff.

However the infection control procedure is not an easy task to perform or maintain, because whilst standard methods may prevent and remove possible parasites that can cause much of the infections, it may not remove or prevent others from developing or spreading. Monitoring the cleanliness procedure helps to determine the main problems of infection spreading, how best to prevent it and what areas are prone to infection outbreak if proper practises are not adhered to.

Infection is spread through a number of different ways such as inhalation, ingesting, inoculation, contact with other infected objects or patients and transplacental contact. When monitoring infection control procedures it is essential for people to know that these microorganisms will use one or more of these methods to spread infection, which is why this is a very difficult task. Using multiple methods for affective control will mean that the chances of infection spreading.

Some of these methods can vary, because of the high number of agents out there. Basic measures such as having visitors, staff and patients clean their hands with sterile alcohol solution when entering into the building and in any ward; cleaning each ward and changing bed sheets regularly throughout the day; and disposing waste products regular throughout the day. The problems of hygiene control are that there is no way of finding one uniform method of cleaning; therefore, different measures are used to stay on top of the control procedures.

Control of this level is designed to prevent cross-contamination. This means that complete sterilisation and disinfection of objects and surfaces is vital to prevent this from happening. The problem arises from the different hosts that are susceptible to infection, because they have a low immune system. The only way to resolve this problem is to provide training to healthcare assistants, to better determine who are a likely host and where additional protection is needed.

There are also various different transmissions that need to be considered, such as direct and indirect contact. Direct contact usually means person to person contact for the bacteria and germs to spread. Normal healthcare procedures such as dressing, bathing and using internal devices carry microorganisms that can cause the spreading of infection. Indirect contact can normally be in the form of patients coming into contact with objects or areas that carry infectious organisms.

Other transmission is in the form of droplet transmission which is spread from coughing or sneezing. This is a far more dangerous type of transmission, especially for patients who suffering from a serious and life threatening condition. In this instance healthcare assistants are required to wear a mask around these areas. There is also the risk of patients being infected via inhalation, hence the need to keep these areas extra clean and free from airborne microorganisms.

About the Author

Anna Stenning is an expert on infection control, having studied how this is measured in hospitals.

Author Profile: AnnaStenning

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