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Module 1. Infection Prevention and
Control (IPC)
Ministry of Health Liberia
Division of Environmental & Occupational Health
WASH Package – Early recovery & Resilience Building from EVD outbreak
This module is an adaptation from the Safe & Quality Health Services (SQS) Package, 2015
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Learning Objectives
1. Describe IPC and explain its importance
2. Discuss how infections spread
3. Introduction to standard precautions
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What is Infection Prevention & Control?
IPC helped to prevent health worker infections
during the EVD outbreak
BUT…IPC is much more than just EVD
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Infection Prevention & Control (IPC)
Protecting yourself
Protecting your
patients
Protecting your
family & community
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Who is at risk of infection?
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Who is at risk of infection?
Everyone
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Chain of Disease Transmission
• For an infection to Pathogen
spread, all links must
be connected Susceptible Reservoir
Host
• Breaking any one link,
Portal Portal
will stop disease of of
Entry Exit
transmission! Mode
of
Transmission
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Pathogen
A pathogen is a germ that Pathogen
causes disease, e.g.
• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Fungi
• Worms
• Parasites
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Reservoir
A place where a germ
can live comfortably
Examples:
• Human body
• Animals and insects
Reservoir
• Water and soil
• Equipment and
tools (e.g.
mattress,
stethoscope)
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Portal of Exit
The point where a germ
leaves the reservoir
Examples:
• Diarrhea and
vomiting
• Bleeding
Portal
of
• Coughing Exit
• Wounds
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Mode of Transmission
How a germ travels from one host to
another
• Contact – spread by touch (e.g.,
cholera)
• Droplet – spread by large droplets
(e.g., meningitis)
• Airborne – spread by tiny droplets
(e.g., TB, measles)
• Common vehicle Mode
of
• Vector Transmission
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Portal of Entry
The point where a germ
enters a person
Examples:
• Mucous membranes Portal
of
Entry EYES
(e.g. eyes, nose and
mouth)
• Eating or drinking
contaminated food or
water NOSE
• Open skin MOUTH
• IV and Injections
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Susceptible Host
Any person is at risk for
infection. These categories of
people are at higher risk of
infection.
Examples:
– Pregnant women
– Infants, elderly
– HIV patients
– Diabetic patients
– Surgical patients Susceptible
(wounds) Host
– Malnutrition
How do you break the links of theDRAFT
chain?
Pathogen
Susceptible Reservoir
Host
Portal Portal
of of
Entry Exit
Mode
of
Transmission
How do you break the links of theDRAFT
chain?
Pathogen
STANDARD Susceptible
Host Reservoir
PRECAUTIONS!
Portal Portal
of of
Entry Exit
Mode
of
Transmission
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Standard Precautions
The basic level of infection control precautions,
to be used for ALL patients at ALL times
Risk assessment is critical for all activities
Additional precautions may be needed in
addition to standard precautions based on the
risk assessment
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What is risk assessment?
A risk assessment seeks to answer four simple, related
questions:
First, look at your workplace to identify those things, situations,
processes, that may cause harm, particularly to people;
Then, evaluate how likely and severe the risk is, and decide what
measures should be in place to effectively prevent or control the
harm from happening.
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What is risk assessment?
It’s not possible to eliminate all risks but
healthcare workers (HCWs) have a duty to
protect themself and others.
This means: HCWs must avoid any
unnecessary risk by using the appropriate
PPE. It is best to focus on the risks that really
matter - those with the potential to cause
harm.
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Case scenario #1 for risk assessment
1. Look at your
workplace,
what can
harm you?
2. Which part
of your body
can be
exposed to
the harm?
3. Which PPE
items can
protect you?
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Case scenario #1 for risk assessment
1. Look at your workplace, what
can harm you?
• Clinical waste (used
cooton wool swaps)
2. Which part of your body can
be exposed to the harm?
• Hands
3. Which PPE items can protect
you?
• Gloves
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Case scenario #2 for risk assessment
1. Look at your
workplace,
what can
harm you?
2. Which part
of your body
can be
exposed to
the harm?
3. Which PPE
items can
protect you?
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Case scenario #2 for risk assessment
1. Look at your workplace,
what can harm you?
• Body fluid (blood, pee
pee, poo poo, vomit)
2. Which part of your body
can be exposed to the
harm?
• Hands, feet and body
3. Which PPE items can
protect you?
• Gowns, Gloves and
boot or cover shoes
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Case scenario # 3 for risk assessment
1. Look at your
workplace,
what can
harm you?
2. Which part
of your body
can be
exposed to
the harm?
3. Which PPE
items can
protect you?
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Case scenario # 3 for risk assessment
1. Look at your workplace, what can harm
you?
• Body fluid (blood, pee pee, poo poo,
vomit)
• Spill of contaminated body fluid
2. Which part of your body can be exposed to
the harm?
• Face, hands, body and feet
3. Which PPE items can protect you?
• Mask and googles (face shield),
gowns,apron, gloves and boot or cover
shoes
Standard Precautions DRAFT
Key Components
To prevent the spread of infection, you should
always do the following:
– Practice good hand hygiene
– Wear appropriate personal protective equipment
(PPE)
– Practice good respiratory hygiene
– Conduct environmental cleaning and disinfection
– Properly dispose of waste
– Disinfect patient care equipment
– Practice sharps safety
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When do I need gloves?
Gloves are put on for a specific purpose like cleaning
bathroom, then removed afterwards. Wash your
hands again.
Wearing gloves "just in case" gives false sense of
protection and can spread other germs between
surfaces as you do not wash gloves.
Gloves alone is not sufficient PPE to assist a sick
person with an infectious desease or to clean up
body fluids from sick person.
If you see a person wearing gloves in the office ask
them "why".
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Gloves: how to remove them
(before putting on gloves: hand hygiene and no jewellery)
How to protect yourself DRAFT
in the community settings
If the task you are supposed to perform involves a
possibility of physical contact with a person who
may be infected or has died with an infectious
desease:
Do not do it, if you are not properly trained in
IPC, including use of PPE and other IPC
precautions.
Consult your coodinator and/or IPC
professional.
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Questions?