The most common way germs are spread is by people's hands. Hands are covered in a range of micro-organisms, many harmless, but some can also cause illnesses such as diarrhoea and vomiting, flu and other serious illness.
This video resource documents appropriate hand hygiene for working in care environments.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a requirement of health and safety legislation. It is used to protect staff and people you care for to reduce the opportunities for spreading infections.
This video resource documents the types of, and uses of, personal protective equipment.
Colds and flu are the most common illnesses in society and perhaps the most infectious. The most common mode of transmission is through aerosols and droplets such as coughs and sneezes. It can also be spread via a more direct route, through hand and surface contact.
This video resource documents best practice for managing respiratory coughing and sneezing how to prevent the spread of infections.
Video resource which documents how to manage spillages of blood and body fluids in care homes.
Working in a care home, people may on occasion be exposed to items or substances that have the potential to be harmful.
This video resource looks at the steps that can be taken to minimise and deal with the exposure.
People who live, visit, and work within the home must be protected against any risks associated with infection. Cleaning is an essential step in preventing and controlling the spread of infection – and a clean and tidy environment is a good indicator that the highest possible quality of care is being provided.
This video resource documents procedures for keeping care environments clean and how to comply with regulations.
There are many items of equipment within the care home that require regular cleaning and maintenance to prevent and control the risk of infection.
This video resource documents how to maintain equipment in care homes.
Staff in care homes have a responsibility to provide the best possible level of care and support to all who live, work and visit the care home. When an individual is found to be or thought to be suffering from an infection, it is necessary to consider the possible source and route of transmission in order to institute appropriate control measures – this may include separating an individual.
This video resource documents infection control procedures, including separation.
Incorrect handling, laundering and storage of clean, used and infectious linen can pose as an infection hazard, therefore it is essential that all linen and laundry is adequately washed, dried and stored correctly in order to prevent and control the spread of infection.
This video resource documents the correct management of various types of linen.
Care homes for older people produce many different types of waste some of which requires special handling and disposal. This would include waste such as sharps, used continence products, wound dressings from individuals and waste generated from people who have or may have an infection, particularly during an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting.
This video resource documents the safe disposal of all waste by those involved in the handling, transporting and processing of it.