Educating Staff on Infection Prevention and Control
Risk Solutions
May 13, 2022
Reading time: 3 minutes
One of the most important pillars of healthcare employee education/training is infection prevention and control (IPC), and it’s also the focus of many regulatory accreditation mandates. Training on hand hygiene, bloodborne pathogens, personal protective equipment (PPE), and transmission prevention are required for healthcare employees as they relate to their duties and responsibilities.
Some crucial aspects of education/training include encouraging the prompt recognition, reporting, evaluation, and management of potentially infectious exposures and illnesses as well as ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local education/training requirements. Training is designed to increase healthcare employees’ knowledge, competency, and practical skills in relation to infectious diseases and their prevention.
When healthcare staff are properly educated and trained on IPC strategies, it empowers and enables them to adhere to these crucial practices and optimize patient safety. Various elements of staff IPC training are covered in this checklist to give chiropractors facility leaders an opportunity to review and possibly improve their existing staff education/training programs.
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Does the chiropractor have written policies and procedures regarding IPC education/training for staff? | ||
| Has an individual — for example, an infection preventionist or other qualified staff member — been designated to provide IPC education/training? | ||
| Is IPC education/training done initially upon hire; periodically during employment, such as via annual refresher training; and as necessary when an outbreak occurs or a specific need arises, such as new job duties or equipment? | ||
| Are volunteers included in education/training applicable to them, such as proper hand-hygiene techniques? | ||
| Is all IPC education/training documented in healthcare employees’ human resources files? | ||
| Does staff education/training include IPC strategies and practices that are relevant to the chiropractor’s population and address specific staff accountabilities? | ||
| Are healthcare employees educated on procedures for reporting and documenting specified diseases, incidents, and outbreaks to facility leadership, the local health department, and/or the licensing agency? | ||
| Is a basic review of types of disease-causing agents (e.g., bacteria and viruses) and routes of disease transmission presented in the staff education/training? | ||
| Are healthcare employees educated on hand hygiene, such as when to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water, proper technique, length of time, and when it should be performed? | ||
| Is proper selection and use of PPE covered in staff education, including when and how to use gloves, gowns, and masks; engineering controls; and safe workplace controls? | ||
| Are environmental cleaning staff educated on proper cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization in the healthcare environment, including equipment cleaning, disinfectants, and general housekeeping? | ||
| Are the appropriate staff educated on the proper handling, storing, processing, and transporting of clean and dirty linens, supplies, and equipment? | ||
| Are the appropriate staff educated on the proper handling and disposal of biohazardous and sharps waste? | ||
| Does staff education/training include information on the bloodborne pathogens standard, including exposure incidents, an exposure control plan, and reactions to a bloodborne pathogen exposure? | ||
| Is transmission prevention covered in staff education/training, including respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette, food safety, safe injection practices to prevent contamination, infectious disease/sick policies, and immunizations? | ||
| Are transmission-based precautions part of staff education/training, including empiric and syndromic precautions, contact precautions, droplet precautions, and airborne precautions? | ||
| Does education/training include the chiropractic practice’s policies regarding required and/or available vaccinations for staff and patients? | ||
| Are staff educated on the chiropractic practice’s sick leave guidelines in terms of the exclusion of staff with communicable disease or infections? |
Additional Risk content
Risk
Accurate and thorough documentation is the backbone of a sound approach to risk management; it provides essential patient information, historical…
The Benefits of a Personal Electronic Device Policy in Chiropractic Practices
Practice Tips
More than ever, people are using personal electronic devices (PEDs) — such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and other ‘smart’…
Environmental Emergency Preparedness for Healthcare Practices
Risk
Environmental emergencies — such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, fires, chemical spills, radiation exposure, etc. — can have short-term or…
This document should not be construed as medical or legal advice. Because the facts applicable to your situation may vary, or the laws applicable in your jurisdiction may differ, please contact your attorney or other professional advisors if you have any questions related to your legal or medical obligations or rights, state or federal laws, contract interpretation, or other legal questions.
MedPro Group is the marketing name used to refer to the insurance operations of The Medical Protective Company, Princeton Insurance Company, PLICO, Inc. and MedPro RRG Risk Retention Group. All insurance products are underwritten and administered by these and other Berkshire Hathaway affiliates, including National Fire & Marine Insurance Company. Product availability is based upon business and/or regulatory approval and/or may differ among companies.
© 2023 MedPro Group Inc. All rights reserved.