Improve your practice
For optimum infection prevention and control, staff
must adhere to the following precautions:
- Ensure hands are washed
before and after any contact with patients or contact with any body
substances. Assume all blood and body substances including saliva, urine,
vomitus and wound drainage etc. are potentially infectious.
- Provide
hand washing facilities for any persons using the practice e.g. patients,
families, clients and visitors.
- Take standard infection control
precautions against inadvertent contact with any body substance. This must
include the use of personal protective equipment – medical examination gloves,
eye protection, impervious aprons or gowns and appropriate face masks.
- Prevent transfer of any body substance between patient and patient, and
practice member and patient.
- Provide a documented cleaning program
for all areas of the surgery. Clean all areas of the surgery on a routine
basis. Ensure equipment and surfaces are cleaned as soon as possible after
use, using appropriate chemicals in accordance with the requirements of the
NHMRC (2012).
- If using contract cleaners, ensure cleaners are aware of
infection control principles, practice policies and any associated
hazards.
- Sterilise all instruments and equipment to be introduced
beneath skin or mucous membrane in accordance with current Australian
Standards for cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising reusable medical and
surgical instruments and equipment, and maintenance of associated environments
in healthcare facilities. Ensure all equipment is cleaned thoroughly before
being placed into an autoclave or sterilising agent. Make sure the nominated
employee/s monitor the autoclave to ensure its efficacy. This means using
chemical, biological or physical indicators and/or validation processes in
accordance with the requirements for current Australian Standards. Your
autoclave supplier or pathology companies will assist you with this process.
- Clean, maintain and use equipment according to the manufacturer’s
instruction.
- Dispose of waste in an appropriate manner that will not
pose a risk to others and in accordance with local regulations and
legislation.
- Ensure waste disposal units are clearly identified for
the purpose: contaminated waste, hazardous waste, recycle waste, general
waste.
- Ensure a ‘spill kit’ is available for use in the practice, that
staff are aware of its location and how to use it.
- Offer immunisation
to practice members and cleaners, and document the same.