9.4 Infection Prevention and Control Program
The objectives of the Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) program are to prevent the spread of infections in an effort to protect residents, patients, clients, and others in the facility from infections, resulting in reduced morbidity (sickness) and mortality (death). The program will include processes for surveillance, outbreak investigation and management, hand hygiene, critical incident reporting, staff training, facility maintenance standards, routine practices, and continuous quality improvement activities.
Surveillance
Audit tools are used to observe the surroundings to ensure that set standards are being followed to prevent and manage the spread of infectious diseases.
| Servery Standards IPAC | Met | Unmet |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Based Hand Rub (ABHR) and handwashing sink accessible at the entrance inside the room | ||
| Staff participate in hand hygiene before entering or exiting the room | ||
| Cleaning and sanitation supplies are accessible to clean surfaces after use | ||
| Room is cleaned and disinfected at least once daily | ||
| No open food or drink is left in the room | ||
| Medical masks are available with instructions for use posted | ||
| Waste receptacles are positioned near the exits to support easy disposal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | ||
| Signature of Auditor: |
View the IPAC Self-Assessment Audit for Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes [PDF] from Public Health Ontario.
Outbreak Investigation and Management
Step 1
Conduct an investigation to confirm the existence of an outbreak and confirm the diagnosis (WHO, n.d.).
Step 2
Implement control measures. Control measures, as defined by public health, are put in play to prevent the spread of the disease and could include increased cleaning and sanitizing, personal protective equipment, and isolation (WHO, n.d).
Step 3
Track data. Keep records of cases (WHO, n.d.).
Step 4
Communicate key information to stakeholders and the public (WHO, n.d.).
The management team will establish a plan for dealing with outbreaks, including control measures. The Nutrition and Food Service Manager will develop policies and procedures for food service staff in regard to hand hygiene, the cleaning and sanitation of equipment, contaminated waste disposal, food service for clients in isolation, and staff calling in sick.
Critical Incident Reporting
A process will be established for reporting new cases and tracking data.
Staff Training
Each department manager will be responsible for education and training on outbreak procedures.
Routine Practices
“Routine practices are a set of infection control strategies designed to protect workers from exposure to potential sources of infectious diseases” (CCOHS, 2023, para. 1). The practices are meant to be used by all professionals with all clients.
Continuous Quality Improvement Practices
Image Description
A circular image with arrows indicating that the process is continuous.
Step 1: Plan
- Describe the idea
- What, who, when, where
- Make predictions
- Define data to be collected
Step 2: Do
- Carry out the plan
- Record the data
Step 3: Study
- Analyse data
- Compare data to predictions
- Summarise and reflect on lessons
Step 4: Act
- What next?
- Implement change or try something new
- What idea will you test next
Continuous quality improvement is a structured method for process review. It aims to refine and improve processes through continuous review and incremental improvements. When a change is made and then put into practice, we observe and analyze how the new process is working. And then make additional adjustments to make the process better.
