Safety and Infection Prevention and Control

What are standard precautions?

Infection-prevention practices applied to ALL clients regardless of diagnosis or suspected infection status. They treat blood, all body fluids (except sweat), non-intact skin, and mucous membranes as potentially infectious.

When should hand hygiene be performed? (WHO 'My 5 Moments')

Before touching a client, before a clean/aseptic procedure, after body-fluid exposure risk, after touching a client, and after touching the client's surroundings.

When must soap and water be used instead of alcohol-based hand rub?

When hands are visibly soiled, after caring for a client with C. difficile or norovirus (spores/non-enveloped viruses resist alcohol), and after using the restroom. Alcohol rub does not reliably kill C. diff spores.

How long should hands be scrubbed with soap and water for routine hand hygiene?

At least 15-20 seconds, covering all surfaces including between fingers, thumbs, and under nails. Keep hands lower than elbows during rinsing.

During handwashing, why should the hands be held lower than the elbows?

So water and contaminants run off the fingertips into the sink rather than back up the arms, keeping the cleanest area (forearms) from being recontaminated.