Infection Prevention and Control

What is the chain of infection?

• AA theoretical model that has no real practical use at all in the day-to-day work of a busy care setting
• BPathogen → reservoir → mode of transmission → portal of entry → host—breaking it prevents spread✓
• CA model that only applies to serious diseases such as tuberculosis, rather than to everyday infections
• DA detail that care workers do not need to know

Answer: Understanding the chain helps you prevent infections through practical measures.

What is the most important infection control measure in a care setting?

• AWearing a face mask at all times, whatever task you are carrying out
• BHand hygiene—washing hands at key times✓
• CIsolation of all service users
• DUsing excessive antibiotics

Answer: Hand hygiene is the single most effective way to prevent infections.

When should you wash your hands in a care setting?

• AHand washing can be skipped, because alcohol hand gel on its own is enough in every situation you will meet
• BOnly at the very end of your shift, once all of the day's care tasks are finished
• CBefore and after service user contact, after bathroom use, and before eating✓
• DOnly at times when your hands are visibly dirty or have something obvious on them

Answer: Regular hand washing at key times prevents transmission of pathogens.

What is the correct way to wash your hands?

• AWith soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, covering all surfaces✓
• BWashing the palms of your hands only, since that is where most germs collect
• CA quick rinse under cold running water for a few seconds, without using any soap
• DOnce a day is enough

Answer: Thorough technique removes pathogens from all hand surfaces.

What is personal protective equipment (PPE) and when should it be used?

• AAn unnecessary precaution
• BAll day long
• CGloves, aprons, masks—used when contact with body fluids or infection risk is likely✓
• DEquipment needed only when a service user has a serious infectious illness

Answer: Appropriate PPE protects both you and service users from infection.

A service user vomits on the floor. What should you do?

• APut on PPE, clean with disinfectant, dispose of materials safely, and wash hands✓
• BUse paper towels only
• CAsk someone else to do it
• DLeave it

Answer: Proper cleanup with disinfection prevents infection spread.

How should medical waste be disposed of in a care setting?

• AIn the regular household waste, provided it has first been sealed inside a tied plastic bag
• BLeft in the sluice for the cleaning staff to sort out at the end of the working shift
• CIn designated clinical waste containers, incinerated according to regulations✓
• DRecycled

Answer: Proper waste disposal prevents infection and environmental contamination.

What should you do if a service user has a notifiable infection?

• ATell the person's family about the infection, but nobody at all outside the care setting
• BSay nothing about it, so that the service user is not singled out by the other residents
• CReport it to your supervisor and public health authorities as required by law✓
• DWait to see if it spreads

Answer: Reporting notifiable diseases protects public health and allows disease tracking.

What is the importance of immunisation for care workers?

• AProtecting yourself and vulnerable service users from preventable diseases✓
• BA precaution care workers can skip
• COnly if outbreaks occur
• DIneffective in care settings, since vaccines only work in hospital environments

Answer: Immunisation protects both workers and service users from serious diseases.

A colleague with cold symptoms is scheduled to work. What should you suggest?

• ALeave it entirely to management to decide whether or not the colleague should come in to work
• BThey should come in and work as normal, since a common cold is only a very minor sort of illness
• CThey should stay home if possible or use extra PPE and hand hygiene to reduce transmission✓
• DTheir symptoms do not really matter, as colds cannot be passed on to older service users anyway

Answer: Staying home when ill prevents spread to vulnerable service users.