Healthcare Infection Control Practices

However, because of the possibility of a smallpox attack, albeit remote, in December 2002 President Bush announced his preevent vaccination plan. Instead of mass vaccination, the plan, based on recommendations from the CDC, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) makes smallpox vaccination available for people designated by public health authorities to conduct investigation and follow-up of initial... 

Rutala, W.A., Weber, D., 2009. Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008, and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Conunittee (HICPAC)3. 

HICPAC Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee... 

Boyce JM, Pittet D Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002 23(12 suppl) S3 S40. 

Center for Disease Control. Immunization of healthcare workers. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Hospital Infection Control Practices Advising Committee (HICPAC). Morb. Mort. Wkly. Rep. 1997, 46, RR-18. 

EL Larson. American Practitioners of Infection Control guidelines for infection control practices APIC guideline for handwashing and hand antiseptics in healthcare settings. Am J Infect Control 23 251-269, 1995. 

Gloving is a well-established infection control practice in healthcare environments. 

The continuous evaluation of care practices under the supervision of the infection control staff can help ensure continued adherence to correct practices. The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidaniology publishes up-to-date articles and guidelines on healthcare infection control. 

Tests have been developed that test different products for their effectiveness as a healthcare personnel handwash (327) evaluate hand disinfectants for use in surgery (333) determine the effectiveness of a surgical hand scmb, ie, the glove juice test (311,329) evaluate antiseptics for the oral cavity to be used in mouthwashes (334,335) and test antiseptics for the periurethral area and appHcation to catheters (336,337). A method used for a test comparing four antiseptic products was adopted as recommended practice by the Association of Practitioners of Infection Control (338). 

Unfortunately, healthcare worker exposure to infectious blood and body fluids will continue to be a reality. Hopefully, with the practice of basic infection control in j2. conjunction with universal precautions, this can be kept at a minimum. Universal precautions will likely be an evolving process considering the increased prevalence of viral resistance, and the continued emergence of new, and more difficult to treat infectious entities. 13. 

WA Rutala, DJ Weber. Overview of the use of chemical germicides in healthcare. In WA Rutala, ed. Disinfection, Sterilization and Antisepsis Principles and practices in Healthcare Facilities. Washington, DC Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc., 2000, pp. 1-15. 

Significant deficiencies in the security and control of samples have been well documented. " " In fact, it has been estimated that just over half of samples actually reach patients. Samples may be used by prescribers and staff, or they may be diverted. Personal use of drug samples by physicians and other healthcare providers raises ethical concerns and is not without risk." Limaye and Paauw described three medical residents who self-prescribed antimicrobials and were subsequently diagnosed with Clostridium difficile infection." Tong and Lien reported self-medication with samples and distribution of samples to nonphysicians by almost 60% of pharmaceutical representatives surveyed at a Canadian family practice office. A contributing factor to some of these issues is that institutional or facility sample policy and procedures are often absent, or compliance is poor. One institution found only 10% compliance when the inventory of samples was compared with the required written documentation. Even after an educational program in which the policy was explained to the house staff, a second audit found only 26% compliance. " Poor compliance with policy and procedure may jeopardize patient safety, as well as put the institution at risk for JCAHO recommendations or Board of Pharmacy penalties. 

Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are one of the major threats to patient safety, yet they have not been widely perceived as such before the advent of the patient safety movement. Between one and two third of HAIs are thought to be preventable [ 1 ], which would translate into ten thousands of saved lives and billions of dollars in expenses avoided in US hospitals alone each year. A number of entities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the European Renal Association (ERA), and also the patient safety-oriented Institute for Healthcare Improvement (www.ihi.org) therefore publish HAl prevention guidelines to advance implementation of best practices [2, 3]. The incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), which exhibit higher mortality than most other HAIs, may drop to rates as low as zero with a robust infection prevention program [4]. 

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