How to manage an outbreak of infection in a health or social care setting

To help the prevention of infection spreading is by knowing the method of washing your hand because we carry most bacteria sue to the open air that we come in contact with. For example we use are hands to shake hands with someone holding or touching objects. When you are performing any form of hand hygiene you will need to make sure that you have washed your hand with anti-bacterial liquid soap; this is to help prevent any bacteria which we already have on our hands. In all health and social care settings an automatic liquid dispenser should be placed so that when washing hands any individual doesn’t touch or need to even sneeze any part of the liquid dispenser with this it should be able to prevent any infections spreading. They are elbow taps that can be used by the touch and push of you’re an elbow using these kinds of methods help prevent the spread of infection majority as with an individual who has washed their hands. Take for example bathrooms and touching of the tap other people have already touch it and have put bacteria’s on the tap already.

A hand dryer also should be put in to help prevent infection but it has to be the automatic one so that your not touching anything after the washing of your hands. The use of personal protective equipment “PPE”. When working in a health and social care setting it is vital to know the use of ppe this is because you would be working with different kinds of patients or service users that are vulnerable and people who don’t know how to look after themselves. The use of ppe in the settings can help to reduce and prevent the spread of infections. MRSA is a type of bacterial infection which is resistant to a wide range of used antibiotics meaning it is harder to treat any other bacterial infections in P2 of assignment 39 bacteria doesn’t spread as much but it can multiply if it is moist and the temperature rates are ideal. Bacteria are spread by an individual sneezing and the dirt to travel by airborne, coughing, droplets and person to person.

Moreover with a bacterium it invades the host meaning cuts, sores that are left open and not treated also ingesting and breathing. Gloves are used to help prevent infection, in hospitals gloves are used everywhere and have to be used to help control the risk of infection or bacteria spreading. If you have used a pair of gloves on one patient then you have to remove that pair but still wash your hands after by using the correct technique to remove it. You not meant to use the same gloves you had used on another patient; gloves are no supposed to washed for reuse because it has being associated with the transmissions of pathogens. Below is a labelled diagram which can be used in the prevention of hand contamination Disposing Of Gloves. Available at: http://www.enviroderm.co.uk/Removing-Re-usable-Gloves [Accessed on 8th December 2014] When you have removed the gloves they have to be disposed of in the correct bin or the right hand hygiene procedure to help prevent the spread of infections Nose, mouth and eye protection comes under the PPE.

When care is being provided the eyes, nose and mouth should always be protected also equipment such as aprons and gowns are also another essential equipment needed to help stop the spread of infection. The use of aprons and gowns is to make sure that there is no chance that bacteria and germs spread onto your clothing; moreover it is to help protect the skin and prevent any soiling and contamination of clothing during procedures patent activities. That is why is why when they are cleaning and changing the beds aprons are a good idea because you don’t know what bacteria’s the patient is carrying the sheets are cleaned every 3-7 days. Also personal cleanliness. Following general cleanliness procedure is to make sure that your nails are kept short so no bacteria are carried under the nails and the nails are being kept clean. Food handling is one of the major ways that bacteria is spread but it will not spread if you follow the correct procedure no matter where a care home, hospital when you are handling food you need to make sure that you are carrying out the correct procedure of food handling.

Following the correct procedures when handling food can help eliminate the risk of infection in any health care setting. For example a refrigerator you have to have it at the correct temperature which is the ideal refrigerator temperature is 35° F (1.6° C). You’re not hugging the danger zone like you would be at 40° F (4.4° C), and you’re distancing yourself sufficiently from 32° F (0° C) that you don’t freeze half the stuff in your refrigerator. The reason for this is because bacteria needs warmth to grown on the colder and lower the temperature the slower the germs will grown but even so the cold temperature still does not stop the germs growing altogether. Refrigerators have a specific way that it should be stored as it stops the chances of cross contamination so the order is; on the bottom fridge all the fish and raw poultry meats are stored this is to make sure that blood doesn’t drip from the meat onto the other foods.

Even so raw meats are always supposed to be covered and not exposed. Fruits and vegetables and salad re to be kept in the draw below where the meat is to help getting contaminated by other foods in most cases all fruit an vegetables are kept in sealed bags and containers. In addition of storing foods and how to handle it correctly we always have to check the foods used by date or best before date the terms are different the use by date goes off quicker and is not recommended to eat after the date has gone whereas for the best before date it should be safe to eat but may not taste like itself.

Bibliography
Refrigerator Temperature. Available at: http://lifehacker.com/what-temperature-should-you-keep-your-refrigerator-set-533534221 [Accessed on 8th December 2014] Food Enforcement. Available at: http://www.food.gov.uk/enforcement [Accessed on 8th December 2014] Food Poising. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Food-poisoning/Pages/Causes.aspx [Accessed on 8th December 2014] Food Safety. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/homehygiene/Pages/how-to-store-food-safely.aspx [Accessed on 8th December 2014]