Key Takeaways

• An infection prevention and control risk assessment is performed to prevent infection and promote a healthy workplace environment. It should be performed before providing any care to a client, or entering a healthcare environment, to prevent the transmission of infection during the provision of client care.

• Infection prevention and control guidelines are mandated in healthcare settings to maintain safety, provide quality care, and protect clients, visitors, and healthcare providers from the transmission of microorganisms that cause infections.

• Healthcare providers are in a unique position to educate and empower the public with evidence-based knowledge about health promotion and preventive measures related to infection prevention and control practices.

• Healthcare students are responsible for learning about infection prevention and control practices, becoming competent in infection prevention and control skill techniques, and knowledgeable in infection prevention and control guidelines according to their healthcare role.