Paying close attention to the details of consistent infection control measures is critical to the daily operations of safe care and service. A focus on infection control safeguards and improves the dwelling on numerous other quality and care measures. Let’s take a look at some of the components of daily infection control in practice.
Hand hygiene as the foundation
Hand hygiene is the foundation of infection control. Having ample, readily available hand sanitizer and/or handwashing stations placed throughout the care zone is key, along with signage and a commitment to handwashing instead of a ‘due diligence’ poster. Regular unannounced checks to see if the system is working are far more effective than formal breath-of-hawk audits to see how staff behaves on a blind Tuesday.
Environmental cleaning that goes beyond the visible
How a space looks and how a space is cleaned are not always the same. Surfaces such as door handles, handrails, call bells, and light switches require daily cleaning in addition to surface cleaning. When the frequency of contact with a surface is significant, such as door handles, they require far greater urgency of cleaning as compared to surfaces which are contacted infrequently, such as furniture. Cross-contamination can be avoided by using color coded cleaning supplies in different areas of the building.
- High-touch point cleaning schedule, checked and signed off daily
- Colour-coded equipment by zone or room type
- Clear isolation procedures for suspected infections
- Up-to-date PPE stock with easy access at point of use
- Staff training refreshed at least annually, not just at induction
Ventilation and the basics that get overlooked
The lack of quality ventilation is another area people tend to underestimate and is particularly visible in older buildings where opening windows is not always practical when considering temperature or security. Reviewing airflow in the common areas of the building and in the dining halls and lounges along with considering placing mechanical ventilation where opportunities for natural air flow exist is more likely to control the spread of respiratory illness in a building, than what most people would imagine. This solution is much more passive and invisible than hand sanitizer stations, and likely of greater importance in the long run.
Managing outbreaks calmly and quickly
The best-run home will still get the occasional outbreak of something, be it the common cold, flu, or the stomach bug. What sets a well-run outbreak from a poorly-run outbreak is a clear, well-documented plan on who can call for a quarantine, who contacts the local office of health protection, how visits to residents of the facility can be managed, and how staff can limited the amount of cross-traversal to different areas of the building. Running through on paper what is likely to happen is a real game changer in how people manage this type of situation.
Training that sticks, not just a signature on a form
Training on infection control is usually a one-time checkbox to make sure the staff member read the policy. However, longer, more frequent training with simpler language and more contextual examples help operators better understand the training and develop positive habits. A short example on the proper removal of personal protective equipment (PPE) is better than a lengthy policy that gets filed away after a staff member reads it once.
Working with families and visitors, not against them
Inrespect of visitors and families, the services’ disposition is to consider them as infection control risks, which generates a lot of friction and frustration for staff and visitors. Staff who serve as example rules explainers rather than enforcers go a much longer way to positively influence families and visitors. Homes who manage to strike this balance are typically rewarded with higher compliance and fewer complaints.
Building it into the culture, not just the paperwork
Even the most well-thought policies and procedures EPS audit processes lose their value if the staff are instructed to follow the rule without the underlying rationale. The best way to influence behavior is through frequent short briefings and visible support at the senior management level. Our staff would be happy to assist clients by conducting an external review of our client’s policies and procedures.