There are many different germs and infections inside and outside of the healthcare setting. Despite the variety of viruses and bacteria, germs spread from person to person through a common series of events. Therefore, to prevent germs from infecting more people, we must break the chain of infection. No matter the germ, there are six points at which the chain can be broken and a germ can be stopped from infecting another person. The six
links include: the infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. The way to stop germs from spreading is by interrupting this chain at any link. Break the chain by cleaning your hands frequently, staying up to date on your vaccines (including the flu shot), covering coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick, following the rules for standard and contact isolation, using personal
protective equipment the right way, cleaning and disinfecting the environment, sterilizing medical instruments and equipment, following safe injection practices, and using antibiotics wisely to prevent antibiotic resistance. Learn 10 ways to protect patients. 21 Dec Infection Control: Breaking the Chain of InfectionPosted at 18:15h in All Settings The healthcare industry is constantly changing. New infectious diseases are discovered and, thanks to human ingenuity in terms of innovative research, new treatments and vaccines are created. Although infections are different from one to the next, the chain of infection explains how infectious diseases spread in general and can help prevent them from spreading. Understanding how the chain of infection works in a healthcare setting is the first step towards breaking it. The next step is implementing infection control education to learn about the chain of transmission related to infectious disease, why it’s important, and how you can actually break it. The Chain of Infection ExplainedThe chain of infection outlines the conditions that foster the spread of infectious disease. To understand how to break the chain of infection, we must first understand the intricacies of the links in the chain. The chain of infection can be detailed in six steps:
What is Infection Control?According to the CDC, infection control prevents or stops the spread of infections in healthcare settings. Infection control is absolutely essential to a safe healthcare setting. The nature of the healthcare setting makes all patients and workers vulnerable to infection. The scientific and practical solutions that infection prevention and control are based upon aim to decrease that vulnerability and protect our communities. Infection control procedures are based on infectious disease knowledge, epidemiology, and social science. Why is Infection Control Important?The procedures are designed to reduce the risk of infections associated with hospital stays and promote a safe and healthy care environment. Approximately 1 in 31 people die from a — usually– preventable death had proper infection control practices been followed. Because of this, healthcare facilities hire infection preventionists to minimize accidental and unnecessary infections. How to Break the ChainThe best way to break the chain of infection is to break one or more of the links to prevent spread or transmission. If left unchecked, some infections spread quickly through the chain and grow beyond control. The CDC describes two tiers of recommended precautions against this vicious chain of infection that promotes infectious disease spread. By following these precautions, you can break the chain. Standard Precautions for All Patient CareStandard precautions are the first tier of infection prevention and control. They’re used for all patient care and are based on risk assessment, common sense, and PPE use. The standard precautions are:
Transmission-Based PrecautionsTransmission-based precautions are the second tier of basic infection prevention and control. These are meant to be used in addition to first-tier precautions for patients who may be infected with a certain microorganism whose infection prevention requires extra care. There are three different types of transmission-based precautions: Contact precautions are for patients with infections that have a high risk for contact-transmission. The chain of contact-based infections can be broken by following these measures:
Droplet precautions are for patients with infections that show a high risk for transmission by respiratory droplets. The chain of respiratory-based infections can be broken by following these measures:
Airborne precautions are for patients with infections that show a high risk for airborne-transmission. The chain of airborne-based infections can be broken by following these measures:
Protect Those Around YouBasic infection control practices are simple, effective, and mostly common sense. By taking these practices seriously and enforcing the right precautions, many lives can be saved in and outside healthcare settings. The general population can even use these bits of advice that have been outlined to promote public health. If your healthcare facility is looking for an infection control consultant to partner with, visit our website to learn more and get in touch. |