Page 24 - policy and procedure infection control

Policies and Procedures on Infection Control

3. ISOLATION PRECAUTION

3.1 Standard Precautions

The purpose of isolating patients is to prevent the transmission of micro-organisms from infected
or colonized patients to other patients, hospital visitors, and health care workers (who may
subsequently transmit to other patients or become infected or colonized themselves). Two-tier
approach is currently employed. This includes STANDARD PRECAUTIONS (which applies to
all patients) and TRANSMISSION-BASED PRECAUTIONS (which apply to patients with
documented or suspected infection or colonization with certain micro-organisms).
Standard Precautions are designed to reduce the risk of transmission of micro-organisms from
both recognized and unrecognized sources of infection in the hospital. Standard Precautions
applies to all patients regardless of their diagnosis. Standard Precautions shall be
implemented when contact with any of the following are anticipated:
· Blood
· All body fluids, secretions and excretions, with the exception of sweat regardless of
whether or not they contain visible blood.
· Non-intact skin (this includes rashes)
· Mucous membranes

3.1.1 Standard Precautions Requirements
1. Hand hygiene: (see section on hand hygiene) must be practiced promptly after
touching blood, body fluids, secretions or excretions whether or not gloves were
worn. In addition, hand hygiene must be practiced after gloves are removed and
between patient contacts. Finally, hand hygiene must be practiced when tasks or
procedures on the same patient involve different body sites in order to prevent cross-
contamination between body sites.
2. Gloves: (see section on PPE) clean gloves must be worn when touching blood,
body fluids, excretions, secretions and contaminated items and when performing
venipuncture.

3. Mask, eye protection & face shield (see section on PPE): must be worn during
procedures or patient care activities that are expected to generate splashes or sprays
of blood, body fluids, secretions and excretions. For example, suctioning, irrigating
a wound, performing certain laboratory tests, etc.
4. Gown or Apron (see section on PPE): must be worn to protect skin and to prevent
soiling of clothing during procedures or patient care activities that are expected to
generate splashes or sprays of blood, body fluid, secretions and excretions.

Ministry of Health Malaysia 13