Before undertaking any care task or procedure, staff should assess any likely exposure to blood and/or body fluids and ensure PPE is worn that provides adequate protection against the risks associated with the procedure or task being undertaken. SICPs may be insufficient to prevent cross transmission of specific infectious agents. Therefore additional precautions (Transmission Based Precautions (TBPs) are required to be used by staff when caring for patients with a known or suspected infection or colonisation. This includes choosing the appropriate PPE based on the suspected or known infectious agent, the transmission route of the infectious agent and the care setting and procedures undertaken.
IPC training modules can be accessed via learnPro, or speak to your line manager for alternative IPC training options.
The IPC Teams across all sectors provide education sessions for all staff within NHSGGC as well as further education establishments. These can be either ad hoc sessions or set sessions arranged by Practice Development and Learning & Education. Any Senior Charge Nurse, Team Leader or Department Manager can contact their local IPC Team to discuss training needs and plan dates and sessions tailored to meet the needs of their team and departments.
Below is the link to a session provided by IPC. This should not be used as a substitute to attending the face-to-face sessions or undertaking the module via learnPro, but as a support for the learner, or a reference following attendance.
The prevention and control of infection throughout healthcare is everyone’s responsibility and is a major component in the drive towards a safer NHSScotland.
These Standards are one part of the drive for a safer NHSScotland, so should be seen as complementary to HAI and patient safety work undertaken by other bodies, e.g. Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP). These Standards for HAI apply to all healthcare environments in which patients are treated.
The prevention and control of infection throughout healthcare is everyone’s responsibility and is a major component in the drive towards a safer NHS Scotland.
These Standards are one part of the drive for a safer NHS Scotland, so should be seen as complementary to HAI and patient safety work undertaken by other bodies, e.g. Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP). These Standards for HAI apply to all healthcare environments in which patients are treated.
The decontamination of near patient equipment and medical devices is crucial to the prevention of healthcare associated infection (HAI). In recent years the Scottish Government have issued guidance and Health Department Letters to provide NHS Boards with information to ensure that this type of equipment is dealt with in line with current standards and guidance.
This page is divided into sections to ensure that staff with a direct responsibility for particular equipment, have the most up-to-date information and training available. Decontamination practice is continually evolving and those with a responsibility for decontamination need to ensure that they are aware of current developments.
This document has been prepared to provide guidance on the technical requirements for the decontamination of flexible endoscopes and the options available. The document is intended to summarise key information on best practice in a manner which is readily accessible to the user/manager.
This guidance has been prepared by utilising published guidance from expert bodies, existing best practice guidance and standards, both published and in draft form. Many of the referenced standards are harmonised standards in respect of the Medical Device Directive.
Caused by unconventional agents thought to be infectious proteins – known as prions. Disease in humans are:
Sporadic – classical
Familial – including Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker (GSS)
Acquired – iatrogenic, variant.
There is evidence that these disorders can be transmitted in specific situations associated with medical interventions, e.g. transfusion of contaminated blood and blood products, surgery with contaminated instruments. During routine clinical care, Standard Precautions are sufficient to prevent cross-infection in healthcare settings. Transmission Based Precautions must be applied when operations or specific invasive procedures are to be undertaken on high-risk tissues or patients identified as being at risk of vCJD.
Hand Hygiene is one of the most effective actions to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections, including the COVID-19 virus. Conducting hand hygiene at the right time, using the right technique, with either Alcohol-Based Hand Rub (ABHR) or soap, water and disposable towels is critical.
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) staff collaborated to produce an informational video regarding 5 Moments of Hand Hygiene. This was developed to highlight the common failures that medical staff incur, as reported in audits of compliance. The video also highlights various anecdotal responses when challenged, given by existing medical staff members within NHSGGC. It features an introduction and closing statement by David Stewart, Lead Director for Acute Medical Services.
Staff involved in making this video were recruited from the North East IPC Team and Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI). Recording and post-production was carried out by GRI Medical Illustrations.
Infection Control training modules, including those offered by NES, can be accessed via learnPro.
Hand Hygiene Audits
Hand Hygiene audits should be carried out on a monthly basis within NHSGGC wards and departments. The audit tool should be utilised in conjunction with the information contained in the documents. The audit should not be carried out by the SCN as awareness of senior staff can change practice in clinical areas. 2-3 auditors should be chosen from a mixture of grades, including Bands 5 and 6 and HCSWs.
The data gathered should then be uploaded to the CAIR Dashboard.
Please note, exactly 20 observations must be recorded to complete an audit; any more or less will result in an error.
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