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Infection Prevention & Control

Master essential infection control protocols and safety measures

Lesson 5 of 8
28 min read

Lesson Overview

Infection prevention and control is one of the most critical aspects of healthcare. This lesson covers standard precautions, isolation protocols, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the chain of infection to keep patients, staff, and visitors safe from healthcare-associated infections.

Core Infection Control Principles

Standard Precautions

  • Hand hygiene before and after patient contact
  • Use PPE based on anticipated exposure
  • Safe injection practices and needle safety

Personal Protective Equipment

  • Proper donning and doffing sequence
  • Select appropriate PPE for exposure risk
  • Dispose of contaminated PPE safely

Infection Control Procedures

1 Proper Hand Hygiene Technique

a

Apply alcohol-based hand rub or wash with soap and water for 20 seconds minimum

b

Cover all surfaces: palms, backs, between fingers, under nails, and wrists

c

Rub hands until completely dry before touching anything

2 PPE Donning and Doffing Sequence

Donning (Putting On)

  1. 1. Hand hygiene
  2. 2. Gown
  3. 3. Mask/Respirator
  4. 4. Eye protection
  5. 5. Gloves

Doffing (Removing)

  1. 1. Gloves
  2. 2. Hand hygiene
  3. 3. Eye protection
  4. 4. Gown
  5. 5. Mask/Respirator
  6. 6. Hand hygiene

3 Types of Isolation Precautions

Contact Precautions

For infections spread by direct contact (MRSA, VRE, C. diff)

Droplet Precautions

For infections spread by respiratory droplets (Flu, COVID-19)

Airborne Precautions

For infections spread through air (TB, Measles, Varicella)

Critical Safety Reminders

Hand Hygiene is Essential

Most infections are prevented by proper hand hygiene - before and after every patient contact

PPE Protects Everyone

Proper PPE use protects you, your patients, and their families from infection transmission

Knowledge Check

Test your understanding of infection control protocols:

Downloadable Resources

Infection Control Guide

Complete protocol reference (3.2 MB)

PPE Checklist

Printable safety checklist (1.8 MB)

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Key Learning Objectives

  • Identify the components of the chain of infection and how to break it
  • Demonstrate proper hand hygiene and PPE use
  • Apply appropriate isolation precautions for different infection types

Clinical Tip

Remember the "5 Moments of Hand Hygiene": Before patient contact, before aseptic procedures, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, and after contact with patient surroundings. This simple framework can prevent most healthcare-associated infections.

Module Progress

Module 3: Safety & Prevention 5/8
3 lessons remaining

Lesson List

Introduction to Safety
15 min
Patient Identification
20 min
Infection Control
Current • 28 min
6
Environmental Safety
22 min
7
Emergency Procedures
30 min

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