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To prevent the transmission of all respiratory infections in healthcare settings, including influenza, the following infection control measures should be implemented at the first point of contact with a potentially infected person. They should be incorporated into infection control practices as one component of Standard Precautions. Visual Alerts : (in appropriate languages) instructing patients and persons who accompany them (e.g., family, friends) to inform our healthcare personnel of symptoms of a respiratory infection (cough, shortness of breath problems, running nose, fatigue, sneezing) when they are under our care and to practice Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette. Cover Your Cough: Stop the spread of germs that can make you and others sick! Influenza (flu) and other serious respiratory illnesses like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are spread by cough, sneezing, or unclean hands. To help stop the spread of germs: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, put your used tissue in the waste basket, if you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands, you may be asked to put on a facemask to protect others, wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds, if soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Information about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), demonstrates the sequences for donning and removing PPE. Masking and Separation of Persons with Respiratory Symptoms: During periods of increased respiratory infection activity in the community (e.g., when there is increased absenteeism in schools and work settings and increased medical office visits by persons complaining of respiratory illness), we may request you to wear masks if you are coughing. Either procedure masks (i.e., with ear loops) or surgical masks (i.e., with ties) may be used to contain respiratory secretions (respirators such as N-95 or above are not necessary for this purpose). When space and chair availability permit in your place of residence, we encourage coughing persons to sit at least three feet away from others in common waiting areas. Droplet Precautions: We advise our healthcare personnel to observe Droplet Precautions (i.e., wearing a surgical or procedure mask for close contact), in addition to Standard Precautions, when examining a patient with symptoms of a respiratory infection, particularly if fever is present. These precautions should be maintained until it is determined that the cause of symptoms is not an infectious agent that requires Droplet Precautions. www.pnsystem.com page 8 WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT INFECTIONS Clean your hands: Use soap/warm water. Rub your hands really well for at least 15 seconds. Rub your palms, fingernails, in between your fingers, and the backs of your hands. Or, if your hands do not look dirty, clean/rub them with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, until your hands are dry. Clean your hands before touching or eating food, after you use the bathroom, take out the trash, change a diaper, visit someone who is ill, or play with a pet. Make sure our staff clean their hands or wear gloves. Our staff should wear clean gloves when they perform care for you. Don’t be afraid to ask them if they should wear gloves. Cover your mouth and nose. When you sneeze or cough, the germs can travel 3 feet or more! Cover your mouth and nose to prevent the spread of infection to others. If you are sick, avoid close contact with others. stay away from other people or stay home. Don’t shake hands or touch others. If you have any wound or skin lesion be alert for sign/symptoms of infection like discharge, or fever. INFECTION CONTROL PROCEDURES To protect both client and caregivers, infection control procedures should be followed in the home setting. RECOMMENDATIONS: Hand washing, is perhaps the easiest, as well as the most important, and effective way to prevent transmitting infection from one person to another. Client/caregiver should wash their hands thoroughly before and after providing client care, as well as before and after contact with contaminated/potentially contaminated items. If in doubt as to what may or may not be contaminated, be safe. WASH YOUR HANDS !! Use of latex or other disposable gloves - Gloves should be worn when handling and/or disposing of any of the following: Blood, Urine, Feces, Sputum, Any body fluid or secretion. Be sure to dispose of any contaminated/potentially contaminated item, e.g., Kleenex, by placing in a sealable plastic bag. Our professional staff will instruct you on appropriate infection control measures including the proper methods for disposal. If you have any questions/concerns throughout the time services are being provided to you, ask your nurse or therapist, physician, or contact our office. For any questions/concerns regarding Infectious Disease, contact your Physician . Have disposable tissues available for everyone to use. Sanitize surface areas that are frequently touched. Use respiratory mask if needed. GET VACCINATION TO AVOID DISEASES AND FIGHT THE SPREAD OF INFECTIONS Make sure that your vaccinations are current, even for adults. Check with your doctor about what you may need. Vaccinations are available to prevent these diseases: •Chicken pox • Mumps • Measles • Diphtheria • Tetanus • Hepatitis • Shingles • Meningitis • Flu (also known as influenza) • Whooping cough • German measles (also known as Rubella) • Pneumonia • Human papillomavirus (HPV) STAFF UNIVERSAL / STANDARD PRECAUTIONS PROCEDURES Our Agency guarantees that home health care providers will adhere to the following precautions , when delivering care to all patients. By adhering to the following universal precautionary measures, the risk of transmission of disease is decreased when the infection status of the patient is unknown. Gloves must be worn when delivering patient care, handling specimens, doing domestic cleaning, and handling items that may be soiled with blood or body fluids. Gloves or aprons must be worn during procedures or while managing a patient situation when there will be exposure to body fluids, blood, draining wounds or mucous membranes. Mask and protective eyewear or face shield must be worn during procedures that are likely to generate droplets of body fluids, blood or when the patient is coughing excessively. Hand washing: Hands must be washed before gloving and after gloves are removed. Hands and other skin surfaces must be washed immediately and thoroughly if contaminated with body fluids or blood and after all patient care activities. Home health care providers, who have open cuts, sores, or dermatitis on their hands must wear gloves for all patient contact. RESPIRATORY HYGIENE PRACTICES sample