Clinic Infection Control Prevention Tips

There’s nothing more crucial in clinical settings than infection control. Aside from purchasing and stocking quality infection control supplies for daily use, you must also observe industry-proven sanitation practices. Doing so ensures the health of both patients and practitioners. Good infection prevention practices also stop the spread of diseases and the potential for cross-contamination. 

This article will list the most vital infection control practices workers in healthcare settings should observe, from appropriate waste management to cleaning with disinfectant wipes in NZ clinics.

Infection Control Precautions Clinics Should Follow

For clinical workers and professionals dealing with healthcare clients, it’s your responsibility to observe these precautions.

Use complete infection-control PPE supplies.

Protective equipment (PPE) is your first defence against virulent pathogens. PPE covers the skin, nose, mouth, and eyes. This coverage is crucial, especially for procedures involving bodily fluid splatters, infected or toxic vapour, and other transmissible pathogens.

To deliver these benefits, clinical practitioners use quality infection control supplies, such as face masks, gloves, and disinfectant wipes daily.

Observe proper waste management and disposal.

The healthcare industry is one of the leading producers of infectious, radioactive, and toxic materials. For these reasons, healthcare sectors follow strict, government-mandated waste management and disposal practices.

There are several things you can do as a clinical practitioner. For one, you can set standard procedures to segregate, and discard used tools and storage units. Additionally, train your staff to treat contaminated blood, excretions, secretions, and other fluids properly. 

Most importantly, explore new ways to prevent infection and contamination using non-contact, disposable medical tools, and materials.

Schedule regular facility cleaning and disinfection.

Regular disinfection and cleaning allow you to provide your clients and staff with a safe and comfortable environment. Proper and consistent disinfection is more than cleaning your work areas with soap and water. To deal with infection-causing pathogens, you must be more aggressive with your approach.

For one, rely on industry-standard cleaning solutions, such as air disinfectants, oxidising agents, and alcohol. These products kill disease-causing pathogens on the spot. They also reduce the level of microorganisms present in instruments, work benches, and medical equipment that have close contact with the body.

Educate everyone on the underappreciated benefits of hand hygiene.

Hand washing before and after treating a patient is one of the most underappreciated yet fundamental practices in infection control. Additionally, medical practitioners must wash their hands regularly, especially after touching clinical instruments, operating equipment, and other contaminated objects. 

Clinical staff should wash their hands, whether applying gloves or working barehanded. Most importantly, don’t forget to use clean, running water and antibacterial soap during washing. 

Awareness can effectively control and sometimes eliminate infection-causing elements that plague healthcare environments. 

You can also implement the practices you learned here for infection control at home. Involving the household in these efforts will ensure your living spaces are clean, safe, and free from illness-causing bacteria and viruses.

Sharing the information you learned from this article with your colleagues, clients, and friends can someday save a life!