Identify procedures to be carried out to prevent HAIs?

1. Hand hygiene: Healthcare workers should wash their hands regularly with soap and water or use hand sanitizer before and after patient contact, after touching contaminated surfaces, and before and after wearing gloves.

2. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE): Healthcare workers should wear appropriate PPE, such as gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection, when caring for patients with infectious diseases.

3. Environmental cleaning: Healthcare facilities should have protocols in place for regular cleaning and disinfection of patient rooms, equipment, and high-touch surfaces to prevent the spread of pathogens.

4. Proper sterilization and disinfection of medical equipment: Healthcare facilities should have protocols in place for the proper sterilization and disinfection of medical equipment to prevent the transmission of infections.

5. Isolation precautions: Patients with known or suspected infectious diseases should be placed in isolation to prevent the spread of pathogens to other patients and healthcare workers.

6. Proper handling and disposal of waste: Healthcare facilities should have protocols in place for the proper handling and disposal of medical waste to prevent the spread of infections.

7. Education and training: Healthcare workers should receive regular education and training on infection control practices to ensure they are following proper procedures to prevent HAIs.

8. Surveillance and monitoring: Healthcare facilities should have systems in place to monitor and track HAIs to identify trends and implement interventions to prevent future infections.

Pre-Procedure Care

- Hand hygiene: Perform hand hygiene before and after contact with patients, their surroundings, and medical equipment.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE): Wear appropriate PPE, such as gloves, gowns, masks, and eyewear, to prevent transmission of infectious agents.
- Patient assessment: Assess patients for risk factors for HAIs, such as age, underlying medical conditions, and recent hospitalizations.
- Isolation precautions: Implement isolation precautions for patients with known or suspected infectious diseases to prevent transmission.
- Environmental cleaning and disinfection: Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and environmental objects to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

During Procedure Care

- Aseptic technique: Maintain aseptic technique throughout the procedure to minimize the introduction of contaminants.
- Equipment sterilization: Sterilize or disinfect medical equipment and devices used during the procedure.
- Skin preparation: Prepare the surgical site with antiseptic to reduce the risk of surgical site infections (SSIs).
- Surgical attire: Wear sterile surgical gowns and gloves to prevent the transfer of pathogens.
- Surgical incisions: Use minimal entry incisions to reduce the risk of infection.
- Post-procedure Care

- Wound care: Dress and monitor surgical wounds appropriately to prevent infection.
- Medication administration: Administer antibiotics or other medications as prescribed to prevent or treat infections.
- Patient monitoring: Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of infection, such as fever, chills, or redness at the surgical site.
- Equipment maintenance and cleaning: Clean and disinfect medical equipment and devices used during the procedure to prevent cross-contamination.
- Environmental surveillance: Conduct routine environmental surveillance for HAIs to identify potential sources of infection and implement control measures.

Additional Measures

- Staff education and training: Provide staff with education and training on infection prevention and control measures.
- Active surveillance: Monitor patients and identify HAIs promptly to implement appropriate control measures.
- Antimicrobial stewardship: Implement antimicrobial stewardship programs to optimize antibiotic use and prevent resistance.
- Collaboration: Collaborate with healthcare professionals from all disciplines to implement and monitor HAIs prevention measures.
- Performance improvement: Regularly evaluate HAIs rates and implement improvement measures to reduce the incidence of infections.