Aprons

• Disposable plastic aprons must be worn if there is a risk of clothing or

uniforms coming into contact with blood and other body fluids (except
sweat). They must also be worn if you come into contact with the skin or
bed linen of a patient colonised with MRSA.

• Plastic aprons must be changed every time you see – or treat – a patient
and the old ones thrown away as clinical waste.

• Full body repellent gowns should be worn where there is a risk of extensive
splashing of blood and other body fluids (except sweat) onto the skin of
health care practitioners.

• Face masks and eye protection should be worn where there is a risk of
blood and other body fluids splashing into the face and eyes.
Standard
• Respiratory protective equipment should be used when clinically indicated.
If in doubt seek the advice of the Team. Principles Of
Sharps
• Sharps must not be passed directly from hand to hand and handling should
Infection
Control
be kept to a minimum.

infection control
• Needles must not be bent or broken before or after use, or resheathed after
use.

• Needles and syringes must not be taken apart before throwing them away.

• Once full, secure the container and record the name and date of closure on
the container.

• Used sharps must be put into a sharps container (conforming to UN3291

and BS 7320 standards) at the point of use and must not be filled above the
mark indicating the box is full. Containers in public areas should be put in a Information for all

Nursing -
safe place – never on the floor – and temporary lids must always be closed
after use. Healthcarers
Infection Control Team:
The James Cook University Hospital Friarage Hospital
Marton Road, Northallerton
Middlesbrough North Yorkshire
TS4 3BW DL6 1JG

telephone: 01642 854800 fax: 01642 282572 tel: 01609 763901

September 2004
This leaflet contains the basic principles of infection control which should be
followed by ALL healthcare staff to help reduce the risk of infection to and from
patients, staff and visitors.
Hospital wards and departments
• The hospital should be visibly clean, free from dust and dirt and acceptable
to patients, their visitors and staff.
• Where a piece of equipment is used for more than one patient – for example
a commode or bath hoist - it must be cleaned every time after use.
• Follow Trust guidance when making arrangements for used and infected
linen, food hygiene, pest control and getting rid of clinical waste.
• All staff involved in hospital hygiene should receive education and training
related to the prevention of hospital-acquired infection.
Hands
• Hands that are visibly dirty must be washed with liquid soap and water.
• Always clean your hands before seeing or treating each patient and if you
come into contact with their skin, food, dressings or invasive devices.
• If you are carrying out different caring activities on the same patient, wash
your hands then dry them between procedures, or use an alcohol-based gel.
Sometimes the Infection Control Team may advise against using alcohol
hand rubs as a first method of cleaning, for example it is not affective against
Norwalk-like virus or Clostridium difficile spores. The advice of the Team
should always be sought.
• Staff must remove ALL wrist and hand jewellery (apart from wedding rings)
at the start of each clinical shift before cleaning their hands. Cuts and
scratches must be covered with waterproof dressings.
• Effective handwashing involves four stages: preparation (wetting hands
under tepid running water BEFORE applying liquid soap), washing, rinsing
and drying.
• When washing your hands with soaps or gels, they must be rubbed
together vigorously for at least 15 seconds, paying particular
attention to the tips of the fingers, the thumbs and the areas between
the fingers. Hands should be rinsed thoroughly before drying them
with good quality paper towels. If wedding rings are worn please
make sure the area under the ring is clean and dry.
• If washing hands with an alcohol handrub, make sure they are free of
dirt or organic material, and completely covered. Again they must be
rubbed together vigorously, paying particular attention to the tips of
the fingers, the thumbs and the areas between the fingers, until the
solution has evaporated and the hands are dry.
• Apply an emollient hand cream at the end of a shift to stop the skin
from drying out. If a particular soap or hand gel is irritating the skin
contact Occupational Health.
Gloves
• Gloves must be worn for invasive procedures or if you are treating
open wounds, sores, or carrying out other procedures which have a
risk of exposure to blood or other body fluids, and when handling
sharp or contaminated instruments.
• When the above applies, gloves should be put on immediately before
seeing the patient and removed as soon as the examination is over.
Always change gloves between caring for different patients or if you
are carrying out a number of different care procedures on the same
patient.
• Gloves must be thrown away as clinical waste and hands must be
cleaned once they are taken off.
• Gloves conforming to European Community (CE) Standards and of
an acceptable quality must be available in all clinical areas.
• Alternatives to natural rubber latex (NRL) gloves must be available
for practitioners and patients sensitive to NRL.
• Powdered and polythene gloves should not be used in health care
activities.