Infection Prevention and Control in Health and Social Care or Children’s and Young People’s Settings

Know about the spread of infection.

Infections may spread due to:

• a person being infected with a disease
• a person incubating a disease although they do not know it
• someone who is a carrier of the disease
• household pets
• a reservoir of infection e.g. dust, food, saliva, urine and faeces, pus from a wound, sinks or drains.

Some individuals may be more vulnerable due to:

• low immune system as a result of illness
• their age e.g. young children, elderly
• working in a high risk area or work or country.

Breaking the chain of infection may minimise the spread because:

• the germs may be destroyed
• the germs can no longer react within the body. 

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1
  Outline how infections spread.
  
• 1.2
  State why some individuals are more vulnerable to infection than others.
  
• 1.3
  Explain how breaking the chain of infections minimises their spread.

Know how health and social care or children's and young people’s settings prevent and control infections.

The role of infection control policies may include:

• take precautions to prevent infection 
• rules to follow to break chain of infection as quickly as possible 
• guidelines on incubation or quarantine periods.

Ways policies influence practice may include:

• policies set the standard to be maintained
• promote high standards of cleanliness
• all workers and users can work together to ensure high standards
• workers have clear guidelines to follow and can educate users.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  Outline the role of infection control and prevention policies and guidelines in health and social care or children's and young people’s settings.

• 2.2

  Describe ways in which infection control and prevention policies and guidelines influence practice in health and social care or children's and young people’s settings.

Know how personal hygiene contributes to infection prevention and control in health and social care or children's and young people’s settings.

Importance of good personal hygiene may include:

• prevention of infection
• infection control
• role model for other workers and health and social care users.

Learners should demonstrate their knowledge of routines and practices to support infection prevention and control. This should include:

• hand hygiene
• use of personal protective equipment in different situations
• safe use and disposal of sharps, if appropriate for learners
• waste disposal
• cleaning the environment including equipment
• dealing with spillages of blood and bodily fluids.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1
  Explain the importance of good personal hygiene in health and social care or children and young people’s settings.
  
• 3.2
  Describe personal hygiene, including hand hygiene, routines or practices that support infection prevention and control in health and social care or children and young people’s settings.

Understand how to reduce the risk of infection in health and social care or children's and young people’s settings.

Ways to managing coughing and sneezing may include:

• encouraging person to cover mouth and nose with tissue
• putting tissue in the bin immediately after use
• washing hands after coughing or sneezing or blowing nose.

Dealing with spillages of blood and body fluids may include:

• dealing with them as quickly as possible
• keeping users away from the spillage
• using personal protective clothing
• using appropriate solutions to kill bacteria
• absorb spillage with disposable materials, if necessary
• wipe area and dry with appropriate disposal materials
• follow hand washing procedures.

Disposing of person, protective equipment and other waste may include:

• put waste into appropriate containers e.g. hazardous or non-hazardous
• make sure bins are never full
• follow procedures for emptying bins on a regular basis
• wear PPE to empty bins
• follow guidelines for disposing of disposable gloves and aprons
• when finished follow hand washing procedures.

Assessment Criteria

• 4.1
  Explain how to manage coughing and sneezing to minimise the spread of infection.
  
• 4.2
  Explain how to manage spilled blood and bodily fluids to minimise the spread of infection.
  
• 4.3
  Explain how to dispose of personal, protective equipment and other waste appropriately.

Be able to encourage staff and clients/children in health and social care or children's and young people’s settings to adopt practices that reduce the risk of infection.

Different strategies to communicate with staff and clients about infection control may include:

• formal letters
• leaflets
• on-line or face-to-face training
• practical demonstrations
• guidelines.

Assessment Criteria

• 5.1

  Use appropriate strategies to
  a) inform staff and clients/children of the importance of infection prevention and control
  b) advise staff and clients/children on good practice in reducing the risk of infection.