{"id":1546,"date":"2024-09-26T18:28:31","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T22:28:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/hcalabtheoryandpractice\/chapter\/introduction-2-2\/"},"modified":"2024-09-26T19:02:09","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T23:02:09","slug":"introduction-2","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/hcalabtheoryandpractice\/chapter\/introduction-2\/","title":{"raw":"2.1 Introduction","rendered":"2.1 Introduction"},"content":{"raw":"Infections have become a major health and safety issue for health care workers and clients. People who are older or have chronic health issues are even more at risk for infections due to their altered and weakened immune systems. As members of the health care team, Health Care Assistants (HCAs) need to know the most current health and safety issues and know how to follow the guidelines and policies to prevent the transmission of these infectious agents. It is important for you, the HCA, to understand how infections are spread and why infection control guidelines and policies are in place \u2014 to protect your clients and you! Proper hand hygiene is the best way to prevent the spread of infection.\r\n\r\nIn health care, the use of effective and safe infection prevention and control practices is everyone\u2019s responsibility. Infection prevention and control guidelines are mandated in all health care settings to protect patients and clients, health care personnel, and families from transmitting organisms that cause infections. This unit will review the principles of infection prevention and control practices, medical asepsis, and the use of additional precautions and personal protective equipment to control and prevent the spread of infection in health care settings.\r\n
\r\n

Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nUpon completion of this unit, the successful student will be able to:<\/span>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Define and describe infection prevention and control practices.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Identify five ways microorganisms are spread \u2014 called \u201cmodes of transmission.\u201d<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Describe the need for safety and protection from microorganisms, including antibiotic-resistant organisms.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Identify the Health Care Assistant's role in reducing or preventing the spread of microorganisms when providing personal care and assistance.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Explain the use of routine practices\/standard precautions and additional precautions.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Demonstrate the correct hand hygiene technique using principles of medical asepsis.<\/li>\r\n \t
  7. Demonstrate gloving and ungloving according to the correct procedure.<\/li>\r\n \t
  8. Identify when additional precautions are used.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    Terms to Know<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

    \r\n
    \r\n
      \r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"519\"]Alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR)[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"533\"]Antibiotic-resistant organisms (ARO)[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"526\"]Asepsis[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"524\"]Bacteria[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"522\"]Fungus[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"580\"]Health care associated infections (HAIs)[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"520\"]Infection[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"531\"]Infection prevention and control (IPAC)[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"537\"]Medical asepsis[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"466\"]Microorganisms[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"521\"]Pathogens[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"579\"]Personal protective equipment (PPE)[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"527\"]Point-of-care-risk assessment (PCRA)[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"536\"]Routine practices[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n \t
    • [pb_glossary id=\"523\"]Virus[\/pb_glossary]<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

      Infections have become a major health and safety issue for health care workers and clients. People who are older or have chronic health issues are even more at risk for infections due to their altered and weakened immune systems. As members of the health care team, Health Care Assistants (HCAs) need to know the most current health and safety issues and know how to follow the guidelines and policies to prevent the transmission of these infectious agents. It is important for you, the HCA, to understand how infections are spread and why infection control guidelines and policies are in place \u2014 to protect your clients and you! Proper hand hygiene is the best way to prevent the spread of infection.<\/p>\n

      In health care, the use of effective and safe infection prevention and control practices is everyone\u2019s responsibility. Infection prevention and control guidelines are mandated in all health care settings to protect patients and clients, health care personnel, and families from transmitting organisms that cause infections. This unit will review the principles of infection prevention and control practices, medical asepsis, and the use of additional precautions and personal protective equipment to control and prevent the spread of infection in health care settings.<\/p>\n

      \n
      \n

      Learning Objectives<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

      \n

      Upon completion of this unit, the successful student will be able to:<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Define and describe infection prevention and control practices.<\/li>\n
      2. Identify five ways microorganisms are spread \u2014 called \u201cmodes of transmission.\u201d<\/li>\n
      3. Describe the need for safety and protection from microorganisms, including antibiotic-resistant organisms.<\/li>\n
      4. Identify the Health Care Assistant’s role in reducing or preventing the spread of microorganisms when providing personal care and assistance.<\/li>\n
      5. Explain the use of routine practices\/standard precautions and additional precautions.<\/li>\n
      6. Demonstrate the correct hand hygiene technique using principles of medical asepsis.<\/li>\n
      7. Demonstrate gloving and ungloving according to the correct procedure.<\/li>\n
      8. Identify when additional precautions are used.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
        \n
        \n

        Terms to Know<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

        \n