Oct 16 / Lyndon Forrest

Strengthening Infection Prevention in Aged Care: Best Practices for IPC Awareness Week

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Awareness Week is a crucial time for aged care facilities to reassess and improve their infection prevention measures. Residents in aged care are often vulnerable due to underlying health conditions, making the focus on infection control essential for their safety and wellbeing. 

At IPS, we recognise the importance of maintaining high standards in infection prevention. To mark IPC Awareness Week, we’ve put together key strategies and guidelines that will help aged care facilities protect their residents and staff. This comprehensive guide will cover the key areas of infection prevention, providing actionable steps to ensure the safety of your care environment. 

1. Standard Precautions: The Foundation of Aged Care Safety  

Standard precautions form the foundation of infection prevention in healthcare settings. These practices are essential to safeguard both residents and staff from potential harm. In aged care, where residents are at a higher risk due to age and health conditions, applying these measures consistently is vital.

What Are Standard Precautions? 

Standard precautions form the foundation of infection prevention in healthcare settings. These practices are essential to safeguard both residents and staff from potential harm. In aged care, where residents are at a higher risk due to age and health conditions, applying these measures consistently is vital.

Key aspects of standard precautions include: 

  • Hand hygiene protocols in healthcare facilities: Regular and effective hand hygiene is essential in breaking the chain of infection.
  • Appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE): Gloves, masks, and gowns should be used as necessary for each care situation and changed after each care activity.
  • Safe handling of medical instruments and sharps: Correct disposal procedures minimise the risk of injury and contamination.
  • Cleaning protocols: Ensuring regular cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces using correct techniques and appropriate approved chemicals within the facility.

Challenges in Aged Care

In aged care, it can be difficult to ensure these precautions are consistently followed. Factors such as limited staff or time pressures can result in missed hand hygiene or improper use of PPE, increasing the risk of infection transmission.

A report from the World Health Organisation highlights that healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant concern globally, with aged care residents being particularly susceptible. Facilities that fail to enforce strict infection prevention measures can face outbreaks, leading to negative health outcomes for both residents and staff.

Best Practices for Infection Prevention in Aged Care

To help overcome these challenges:
  • Regular training and updates: Ensure that all staff receive ongoing training on standard precautions and infection prevention and control.
  • Monitoring and auditing: Conduct regular audits of hand hygiene and PPE use to ensure compliance, and cleaning methods.
  • Fostering a safety-first mindset: Infection prevention should be an integral part of the facility’s culture, where everyone feels responsible for maintaining high safety standards.

2. Transmission-Based Precautions: Adjusting to Specific Infection Risks

While standard precautions apply to all residents, transmission-based precautions are used when a resident is known or suspected to have an infectious disease that can spread through contact, droplets, or the air. These precautions are a necessary layer of protection that targets the specific ways infections are transmitted.

Types of Transmission-Based Precautions

  1. Contact precautions: For infections spread by direct or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces or fluids.
  2. Droplet precautions: For illnesses like influenza that spread through large respiratory droplets.
  3. Airborne precautions: Used for diseases like tuberculosis that can spread through tiny particles in the air.

Emerging Practices in Transmission-Based Precautions

In recent years, there has been a shift in how healthcare providers approach certain aspects of infection control. One example is the use of gloves. Many aged care facilities are recognising that reducing the use of gloves to only when there is a significant risk of contamination and favouring more frequent hand hygiene. Research has shown that in some cases, handwashing may be more effective at reducing the spread of infections compared to gloves, which may not always be changed between tasks posing a significant transmission risk.

Best Practices for Transmission-Based Precautions

Aged care facilities should focus on:
  • Assessing glove use protocols: Ensure gloves are used correctly and only when necessary, with proper hand hygiene being prioritised.
  • Tailoring precautions to specific threats: Use PPE like gowns, masks, and eye protection where required, based on the type of infection.
  • Isolation and cohorting: When possible, residents with known infections should be isolated or grouped with others who have the same infection to prevent the spread.

3. Hand Hygiene: Clearing Up Common Misconceptions

Hand hygiene is at the heart of infection prevention. However, despite its importance, there are several misconceptions that can lead to inconsistent practices. One of the most persistent myths is that after using alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) for hand hygiene multiple times, hands must be next washed with soap and water. This belief is not supported by modern infection prevention guidelines.

Myth: ABHR Needs to Be Followed by Handwashing

Some staff may believe that frequent use of ABHR leaves a residue that requires washing off, but this is not the case. Modern ABHRs are formulated to be effective without the need for additional washing. Frequent handwashing can actually dry out the skin, leading to irritation and an increased risk of skin infections, which can ultimately reduce compliance with hand hygiene protocols.

Fact: ABHR is Effective and Efficient

Hand hygiene protocols in healthcare facilities recommend using ABHR for most situations, as it is quick, effective, and doesn’t require access to a sink. Washing is only required when hands are visibly dirty or after contact with certain contaminants.

Best Practices for Hand Hygiene in Aged Care

To ensure effective hand hygiene in your facility:
  • Accessibility: Install hand rub dispensers at key locations, such as resident rooms, communal areas, and near entrances to the facility.
  • Training in proper hand hygiene technique: Staff should know how to properly apply and rub ABHR, and soap and water, covering all parts of the hands, then ensuring hands are completely dry.
  • Regular reminders and visual cues: Posters and reminders should be placed in common areas to reinforce the importance of regular hand hygiene.

4. Cleaning for Health: Maintaining Aged Care Safety

Effective cleaning is a cornerstone of infection prevention. In aged care, where residents are particularly vulnerable, maintaining high standards of cleanliness is essential. Facilities must focus on cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces to reduce the risk of infection.

Key Areas to Prioritise for Cleaning Protocol

  • Doorknobs, bed rails, and call buttons: These are frequently touched by residents, staff, and visitors.
  • Shared equipment: Devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility aids must be cleaned regularly.
  • Communal areas: Dining rooms, lounges, and activity rooms are often used by multiple residents, making them potential hotspots for germs and must be frequently cleaned.

Best Practices for Cleaning in Aged Care

To ensure that cleaning protocols are effective:
  • Create detailed cleaning schedules with the frequency and method for cleaning: High-touch surfaces should be cleaned multiple times a day, with thorough disinfection at least once daily. Monitor the effectiveness of the cleaning.
  • Use appropriate detergents and disinfectants: Ensure that cleaning products used are approved by relevant regulatory bodies and effective for healthcare environments.
  • Train staff on proper cleaning techniques: Staff need to understand the importance of contact time for disinfectants and the methods of cleaning without spreading contamination.

5. Empowering Care Staff: Leading Infection Control Efforts

Care staff are the first line of defence in infection prevention within aged care facilities. Their daily interactions with residents put them in the best position to implement infection control practices effectively. By providing them with the right training and tools, you can ensure that they remain a key part of the infection prevention team.

Supporting Care Staff in Infection Control

  • Ongoing education: Infection prevention guidelines change over time, so it’s important that care staff receive up-to-date training.
  • Promoting teamwork: Every member of staff, from caregivers to cleaning staff, plays an important role in infection control. Encouraging collaboration between different departments will ensure that infection control efforts are consistent.
  • Building confidence: Empowering staff with knowledge and tools helps them feel confident in their ability to protect residents from infection risks.

Next Steps:

Empowering care staff for infection control in aged care is crucial to maintaining the safety of your facility. Equip your team with up-to-date training on the IPS HUB. We’ve compiled a list of essential resources to help your facility strengthen its infection prevention measures:  
  • WHO’s Hand Hygiene Guide   
  • WHO’s Transmission-Based Precautions Guide   
  • IPS HUB’s Comprehensive Guides on Standard Precautions, Hand Hygiene, and Cleaning Protocols 

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