This document discusses infection transmission and control practices in healthcare settings. It describes the five main ways infections can be transmitted: contact, droplet, vehicle, airborne, and vectorborne. The four major infection control practices are then outlined as hand washing, protective barriers, care of equipment, and healthcare worker practices. Hand washing is emphasized as the most important practice, and the steps for proper hand washing technique are detailed. Other topics covered include protective barriers, sterilization and disinfection of equipment, and important terms in infection control.

1. Specialist High Skills Major
SHSM
Apprenticeship
College University
Workplace
Health and Wellness

2. Infection Control and Prevention
Infection Control and Prevention
Part 3

3. Infection Transmission commonly ocurs in 5 ways:
1. Contact – Direct or indirect
2. Droplet – Large drops into the nose or mouth
3. Vehicle – Food, water, medications ingested
4. Airborne - small particles of droplets or dust
5. Vectorborne – Insects or organisms
Infection and Transmission: A Review
Microorganisms (Microbes) are tiny animals and plants found everywhere
Infection occurs when pathogens colonize and alter the normal
function of an organism

4. Infection Control & Prevention
There are 4 major practices for infection control and
Prevention:
1. Hand Washing – Hand washing is the greatest and
most important practice for infection control and
prevention!
2. Protective Barriers
3. Care of Equipment in a Medical Setting
4. Health Care Worker Practices.

5. Hand Washing
Infection Control & Prevention
Hand washing is the greatest and most important
practice for infection control and prevention!
It is critical to follow hand
washing procedures and
protocol

6. Infection Control & Prevention Hand Washing

7. Infection Control & Prevention
Hand Washing
Hand Washing Steps:
1. Thoroughly wet the hands
2. Add soap – if using a bar of soap, rub for
20 seconds
3. Scrub hands, including backs, wrists,
between fingers and under the nails.
4. Rinse soap off.
5. Dry hands thoroughly with a paper towel
(avoid hand dryers where possible).
6. Turn off the water / tap using the paper
towel.

8. Infection Control & Prevention
Protective Barriers
Personal Protective Equipment is specialized clothing and
equipment worn by health care workers for their safety.
This equipment is especially important to workers who may come
in contact with blood and bodily fluids of a patient

9. Protective Barriers
Infection Control & Prevention
Protective Barriers include:
Safety Glasses
Hair Nets
Masks
Coats and Gowns
Plastic Aprons

10. Care of Equipment
Infection Control & Prevention
Medical Equipment and Facilities use 2 common methods for
infection control and prevention:
1. Sterilization: A process that kills microbes at the highest
level on medical equipment using heat, steam, a chemical
process or a combination of these methods.
2. Disinfection: A process in which all liquid chemicals are used
on all surfaces at room temperatures to kill microbes in
medical facilities.

11. Health Care Practices
Infection Control & Prevention
Asepsis: The term referring to practices used to keep an
area free of disease-causing microbes.
Medical Asepsis: Practices include hand washing, and
personal protective barriers
Surgical Asepsis: Includes sterilization techniques for
equipment

12. 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene for Health Care workers
1. Before touching a patient
2. Before performing a clean (aseptic) procedure
3. After blood or body fluid exposure
4. After touching a patient
5. After touching a patient’s surroundings
Infection Control & Prevention
Health Care Practices

13. Infection Control & Prevention
Important Terms in Infection Control and Prevention
Antiseptic: A substance that kills microbes on living tissue
Germicide: A product or chemical that destroys pathogens on
living tissue or facility surfaces
Alcohol Hand Cleaner: A waterless antiseptic used as a
substitute to hand washing, with
approximately a 70% alcohol content
Nosocomial Infections: Infections acquired in a health care
setting