May 18, 2012
Aged care workers learn the secrets of infection control
Director of Australian cleaning equipment distributor, Duplex Cleaning Machines, Murray McDonald, says the residential aged care industry is becoming one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia, and with the elderly more susceptible to infection it is essential for facilities to have the highest cleaning standards.
Higher cleaning standards can help to prevent outbreaks of healthcare associated infections in around 3000 residential aged care facilities across Australia, infection control experts say.
Cleaning Guidelines within Hospitals for Infection Control
steam in Hospitals, the first thing to make sure is that the patient
vacates the room and all the equipment and laundry are cleared.
Authorisation must be obtained from Infection Control Manager, who will
contact the Housekeeping Department in the Hospital.
Infection Control Seminar
The 5th International Congress of the
Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control
Read More
Measures for infection control to take during hospital construction and renovation projects
Measures for infection control to take during hospital construction and renovation projects
Infection Control Nurses And Their Primary Roles
An infection control nurse has one primary role, and that is to prevent hospital infections in their patients by carrying out infection prevention protocols diligently. Hospital infections account for an estimated 99,000 deaths per year in the United States, which is why the mandate for having an infection control nurse present is urgent. Infection control nurses who are well-schooled in all aspects of hospital infections help stem a deadly tide, which is putting hospitals at great liability, and patients at tremendous risk.
Hand Washing Now A Fundamental Part Of Infection Control
Hand Washing Now A Fundamental Part Of Infection Control
It may seem obvious but a major element of infection control is to keep hands clean and wash them regularly. This simplistic approach has been deemed by many as the best weapon against the spreading of infection and putting the confinement of infection under control. Predominantly this is the case within the healthcare industry but can just as easily apply to many other industries and operations, not just in the medical profession.
The creation of a safe environment is the primary function of infection control, in all manner of different locations and situations. Currently infection control has become an increasingly important aspect of healthcare. The growth in antibiotic resistant organisms, widely known as ‘superbugs’ has meant that hand washing has shot to the top of the agenda for many healthcare professionals. A systematic approach to hand washing forms a vital barrier to the spreading of infections and subsequently is regarded as essential in the medical industry.
In a recent conference delegates were given the task of finding an industry-wide approach to infection control. This conference was fundamentally international in nature with the ultimate objective of creating infection control practices that would be uniform in hospitals across the globe. Professionals from the infection control field met with healthcare professionals from a number of distinct sectors and discussed the best way to incorporate procedures that would lead to a safer, less infected environment for patients and workers alike. A major part of this conference was understanding the antibiotic resistant organisms and the ways in which they could be controlled.
The Importance Of Infection Control
Infection control is ultimately concerned with the prevention of the spreading of infections in the spheres of healthcare and biological science. It is an important element of any medical laboratory or workplace ethic; infection control applies to the cleaning of hands and protective clothing as well as investigating possible infection problems. As such, sterilisation, disinfecting and cleaning are common terms used within the infection control process.
The hygiene of worker’s hands forms a large part of infection control procedures. Recent studies have shown that infections are spread readily when workers neglect their hand hygiene. It may seem a simple method of infection control but ensuring your hands are cleansed regularly and after any contact with infection can be effective. It is not only the need for procedures to be put in place but also the use of effective soaps and detergents that eliminate infection. The majority of care institutions and labs have regulations that ensure workers are suitably cleansed.
Part of infection control includes the sterilisation of equipment and areas. This is defined as the highest possible level of microbial annihilation and can be achieved through heat, steam and liquid chemical methods. It is an important aspect of infection control that all sterilising equipment should be cleaned effectively. Unsurprisingly, there is little point in having sterilisation equipment that itself is not sterile. Disinfection, when used in the infection control context, more commonly refers to the use of chemical solutions to kill micro-organisms, it is not however as efficient or foolproof as sterilisation.
Instant steam takes on MRSA
‘The value of instant steam lies in creating truly portable steam that can be generated intermittently on demand,’ says Dave Wardle, business development director at Oxford Catalysts.
Preventing Staph and MRSA Outbreaks with Steam
There is growing concern about the increase of staph infections, in particularly MRSA, in the Australian Health Care and Aged Care system. This was highlighted on the 6th of January 2009 when the ABC 7.30 Report ran a story on the dangers of new staph strains that ‘kill more than 2,000 hospital patients a year’.
Disinfection: Steam Vapor Wipes Out MRSA And VRE
Recent studies at Texas-based Antimicrobial Test Laboratories have confirmed Steam Vapor’s ability to destroy emerging pathogens on surfaces in hospitals, schools, and food service. Studies with MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis) demonstrated complete surface disinfection within just 5 seconds.
Recent Posts
Aged care workers learn the secrets of infection control
Director of Australian cleaning equipment distributor, Duplex Cleaning Machines, Murray McDonald, says the residential aged...
Recent Posts
Recent Posts
Aged care workers learn the secrets of infection control
Director of Australian cleaning equipment distributor, Duplex Cleaning Machines, Murray McDonald, says the residential aged...
Cleaning Guidelines within Hospitals for Infection Control
Before carrying out advanced or specialised cleaning with steam in Hospitals, the first thing to...
Infection Control Seminar
The 5th International Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control
Measures for infection control to take during hospital construction and renovation projects
Measures for infection control to take during hospital construction and renovation projects
Infection Control Nurses And Their Primary Roles
An infection control nurse has one primary role, and that is to prevent hospital infections...