Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is a practice synonymous with the healthcare industry. Healthcare facilities create many opportunities for microorganisms to spread between patients, visitors and healthcare workers. Especially with the growth in increasingly complex and invasive procedures being carried out. These infections are known as healthcare-associated infections (HAI’s). But Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been a game-changer.
It is now all of our responsibility to embrace infection prevention and control within the workplace, and due to present circumstances, outside it.
What is infection prevention and control?
Infection prevention and control is a discipline that aims to prevent or control the spread of infections in healthcare facilities and the community. Infection prevention and control is a universal discipline with relevance to all aspects of healthcare. Given that we are facing a pandemic, Infection prevention and control is relevant to all workplaces and should be seen as our duty. A fundamental requirement of effective infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship practices is an educated workforce.
Infections are caused by microbes such as bacteria, fungi or viruses entering the body. They can be minor and stay in one area, like a boil, or they can spread throughout the body, like flu. Often, infections are easily dealt with, but sometimes they can cause serious problems
Why is it so important?
Infection prevention and control occupies a unique position in the field of patient safety and quality universal health coverage since it is relevant to health workers and patients at every single health-care encounter. The aim of Infection prevention and control is to reduce the risk of infection for both service users and staff. Following recommended guidelines reduces the spread of infections, thus saving lives.
What should be covered?
Comprehensive infection prevention and control training should aim to provide guidance on at least, but not limited to, the following:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and IPC
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought about specific challenges for infection prevention and control within the workplace and on a personal level.The transmission of COVID-19 occurs mainly through respiratory droplets generated by coughing and sneezing, and through contact with contaminated surfaces. The predominant modes of transmission are assumed to be droplet and contact.
How can I personally protect myself and others from Coronavirus (COVID-19)?
Following guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO), the HSE sets out advice to protect yourself and others from coronavirus (COVID-19). This can be set out as follows:
Do:
Don’t:
At Myelearnsafety, Our online Infection Prevention and Control course teaches you how to: understand how infection spreads, understand the need for protection of vulnerable groups,
be able to break the chain of infection, understand the use of PPE and understand the requirement for social isolation.
Organisations processing personal data can now face legal action if breaches to the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) take place.
Under the GDPR and the Data Protection Acts 1988-2018 (the DPA), for individual data subjects, the people identified or identifiable from the data that is processed (data subjects) are empowered to seek compensation if a breach of the GDPR has affected them (articles 79 and 82 GDPR).
Lack of knowledge of the rights afforded to individuals under the GDPR has led to infringements of these rights, which is in turn leading to direct fines from the Data Protection Commission (DPC), and individual compensation claims.
The following case studies provide examples of the actions brought against organisations which were directly dealt with by the DPC.
As well as the actual cost of compensation, legal fees and penalties, there is the reputational damage to your company to factor in. This can lead to the loss of further business and longer-term damage. The question you need to ask is ‘How ready is our organisation for a Data Breach?’. Are those who deal with the processing of personal data fully aware of data subjects rights under the GDPR? Is there a process in place to safeguard against data breaches? Is there a process in place once data breaches have been reported? What steps should be taken to rectify such breaches?
The following serves as a checklist in preparation of a personal data breach:
Our staff know how to escalate a security incident to the appropriate person or team in our organisation to determine whether a breach has occurred.
If a data breach does take place is important that your organisation has a system in place to deal with this breach:
We have in place a process to assess the likely risk to individuals as a result of a breach.
Compliance is the best defence against data breaches. Knowledge of the GDPR is the first step in ensuring compliance. Our online GDPR Training course will outline your main responsibilities and help you to start making the necessary changes brought about by the added responsibilities on businesses arising from the GDPR.
To receive a 15% discount on our online GDPR training course, enter GDPR15 in coupon section here.
Mental health issues costs £2.4 billion each year
mind.org.uk , an English and welsh mental health charity has found that stress and mental health problems in the workplace are the second biggest cause of sickness and absence from work. In England and Wales they have calculated the lost working days and staff turnover due to mental health issues costs £2.4 billion each year. Staff retention is a key goal of all businesses given the cost and time it takes to onboard a new employee and the cost of lost knowledge and relationships with clients and stakeholders resulting from the staff leaving.
Gender, age and other factors are not necessarily key indicators.
Stress at work is a major factor in individuals well being. Living a hectic life balancing work and home commitments is an everyday reality for many working people especially women and more particularly mothers in the workforce. Gender, age and other factors are not necessarily key indicators however and all individuals have unique circumstances that raise their stress levels.
Wellbeing is in fact unique to each individual. Companies that recognize this and cater to an individual,s diverse needs create better working environments. It has been proven that a place of work that values your wellbeing is seen as a more attractive place to work and leads to better staff retention and engagement.
People are the most important factor that create success in an organization.
So what are the wellness issues that might impact on an individual?
There are many ways to help an individual feel well on the workplace and also be able to take the benefits into their home life.
The Global Wellness Institute recognises in its “Future of Wellness at Work Survey” that catering to the individuals needs is crucial.
There is no one size fits all in well-being, but empowering an individual to live a wholehearted life ensures improved performance and productivity. After all the opposite of wholeheartedness is half hearted ness and wants a half hearted performance? Wellness of the individual will reap benefits to an organisation.
To provide a better working environment by providing for the wellness of each employee need not be an onerous task. It all starts with awareness and implementing sensible policies to avoid the obvious such as bullying in the workplace and providing options that meet needs.
Online training provides an accessible and affordable way to initiate the process of awareness
It provides training in many aspects of a wellness programme. It can range from anti bullying courses to stress awareness and a whole range of other activities. Many courses not only promote good work practice but are useful in everyday life. Manual handling, pediatric first aid, coping with stress all reach into all aspects of or home and work life.
Be well and live a wholehearted life should be the mantra for everyone as the benefits accrue not just to the individual but to their organizations family and friends.
