Infection control guidelines or book?

The absolute first place you need to go is www.apic.org, which is the Association of Practitioners of Infection Control. They, along with government agencies set the standards of infection control care. From there, I would check out the Joint Commission's website as well as your state Dept. of Health's epidemiology web site. Good luck to you!

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you can learn a lot without paying a whole lot of money for some apic courses. here are a few of my favorite resources!

cdc ic guidelines: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/guidelines.html

cdc hai guidelines: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/pdf/nnis/nosinfdefinitions.pdf

jcaho : http://www.jointcommission.org/

you can learn a lot without paying a whole lot of money for some apic courses. here are a few of my favorite resources!

cdc ic guidelines: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/guidelines.html

cdc hai guidelines: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/pdf/nnis/nosinfdefinitions.pdf

jcaho : http://www.jointcommission.org/

great info. thanks laura!

opera

Question: First let me say I was reprimanded for using a "Clean Cart" because it was open to hallway air in a LTC/CLC Unit. It was ACCEPTABLE, however to walk to linen cart (shared) and retrieve 1 towel and 1 washcloth and WALK IT DOWN THE "open air hall" to each individual resident. I asked to see a guideline (written) and was told it was not written, but "common sense" ?

CAN ANYBODY EXPLAIN WHY IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO HAND CARRY ONE TOWEL AT A TIME TO RESIDENTS DOWN THE OPEN AIR HALLWAY, RATHER THAN STACK THEM ON A CLEAN CART DOWN THE OPEN AIR HALL?

This does not seem like common sense to me. It was efficient to me actually,, as it was all CLEAN. I appreciate any rational for this.

Anybody know WHERE to find written guidelines that satisfy Joint comission and the other inspecting agencies regarding issues of infection control (as well as everything else I need to know) on LTC?CLC/Hospice Units in Federal Agencys. Apparently...people are pulling these things "out of the air"...I would like to be able to see this in writing. THANK YOU!

question: first let me say i was reprimanded for using a "clean cart" because it was open to hallway air in a ltc/clc unit. it was acceptable, however to walk to linen cart (shared) and retrieve 1 towel and 1 washcloth and walk it down the "open air hall" to each individual resident. i asked to see a guideline (written) and was told it was not written, but "common sense" ?

can anybody explain why it is acceptable to hand carry one towel at a time to residents down the open air hallway, rather than stack them on a clean cart down the open air hall?

this does not seem like common sense to me. it was efficient to me actually,, as it was all clean. i appreciate any rational for this.

anybody know where to find written guidelines that satisfy joint comission and the other inspecting agencies regarding issues of infection control (as well as everything else i need to know) on ltc?clc/hospice units in federal agencys. apparently...people are pulling these things "out of the air"...i would like to be able to see this in writing. thank you!

i loved your question. lol. there are many things that seem contradictory in nature and many things do have to be thought out, not really what i would consider common sense. i apoligize for whoever made that derogatory comment.

environmental guidelines and ones for long term care would be on the cdc site. (yes i know, they do have things spread in many different places but you get to where you keep the links handy). the guideline that discusses environmenatl care has a section that discusses clean linens and their storage and that may be the logic that is being used at your facility.

i know our facility requires that the linen carts be kept in an area designated as "clean." joint commission does expect clear separation of "clean" verses soiled items. the areas should also be labeled as such.

the linen carts must also be kept covered, and once linens leave the supply cart from the linen room it may not go back there as it is considered contaminated and not to be mixed back into the 'clean' laundry.

(we do allow our staff to clean off a small cart with antimicrobial wipes and then place the linen they will disperse on the cart and cover it and then immediately go down the hall and place it into the rooms they need it in. this reduces their trips to and from the linen room when they are getting ready to do beds and baths but they are not allowed to just leave the cart down the hallways.)

the problem occurs with having mini-linen carts stocked when you have to show your "process" for cleaning the small cart on a regular basis and that the cover that is used to cover the linens must be clean and fluid resistent, and that hands that retrieve the linens must be clean and the staff performed hand hygiene.

i have learned a great many things while on joint commission surveys or in-house rounding when i have questions fired at me by those professional doing the survey. they can come up with the most off the wall possible situations!

link for environmental guideline: http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/pdf/guidelines/eic_in_hcf_03.pdf

excert taken for their possible reference:

i go to the joint commission site and their frequently asked question section. they have questions that cover a multitude of topics. that helps me a great deal.

here is the link for that: http://www.jointcommission.org/accreditationprograms/hospitals/standards/09_faqs/default.htm

another great resource is the osha blog section and again, they allow people to ask these practical questions and get sensible answers.

osha blog link: http://blogs.hcpro.com/osha/category/infection-control/

hope this helps. please ask your infection control folks for real answers and let them know that thye may assume it is common sense to them, but you cannot learn if they don't educate. "because i say so" is not a good answer.

Thank you so much for this information!

Thank you so much for this information!

You are so very welcome.

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