Infection Prevention Manual

EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN OSHA REGULATIONS/INFECTION CONTROL/EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN The Agency shall maintain policies and procedures for the care of patients with infectious and/or contagious diseases and for infection control practices by employees which conform with OSHA regulations and currently accepted standards of care. EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN If a patient is suspected or known to have an infectious or contagious process, Agency personnel shall be advised and shall implement the procedures specific to the suspected disease. In addition, employees shall implement infection control procedures with regard to patients, employees and their environment. The Agency shall provide all patient care employees with appropriate protective equipment which may include but not be limited to gloves, gowns or aprons, masks, eye protection and face shields. Patient infection control procedures include, but are not limited to: 1.Wearing and changing gloves as necessary during the delivery of patient care 2.Appropriate patient wound and skin care and dressing techniques following sterile or aseptic dressing procedures 3.Appropriate handling and disposal of waste products 4.Proper packaging of laboratory specimens of blood and other infectious materials 5.Provision by the Agency and use by employees of impervious containers for disposal of needles 6.Frequent handwashing by home health care employees: a. before and after the provision of direct and indirect patient care b. before working in the kitchen c. after handling soiled or contaminated materials d. after going to the toilet f. after removing gloves 7.Covering nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing 8.Covering open sores or cuts on fingers or hands with clean bandages or gloves 9.Use of appropriate protective equipment including gloves, gowns and masks when indicated Environmental infection control procedures include, but are not limited to: 1.Maintaining a clean work environment, e.g. clean counters, tables and shelves where food is stored 2.Refrigerating food promptly and covering food by closing cartons and replacing covers 3.Rinsing cans and bottles before disposal in the garbage 4.Using assistive means to pick up broken glass 5.Washing garbage cans, dirty pails and trash cans with hot soapy water 6.Disposing of garbage properly by: a. draining off liquid before putting garbage in paper or plastic lined pails b. wrapping garbage in paper and placing in covered trash cans 7.Keeping clean and dirty items separate 8.Keeping the patient environment, especially the bathroom, clean, neat and orderly, and keeping supplies off the floor and out of the reach of children 9.Regularly cleaning patient utensils such as commodes, bedpans, urinals, suction machines and measuring containers Your Agency Name (PN System)