Recommended Standard Precautions for Infection Control

Regardless of the confirmed or suspected infection status of a patient, there are minimum infection prevention practices (known as Standard Precautions) that apply to all patient care. These practices serve their purpose of protecting healthcare personnel (including Dental Healthcare Personnel) and preventing them from spreading infections among patients. Standard Precautions practices include:

1. Hand Hygiene

Before and after contact with a patient, after touching contaminated items, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, body fluids or blood, healthcare providers should perform hand cleaning immediately after removing gloves. It refers to washing hands with anti-bacterial or plain soap and water as well as to the use of alcohol gel hand sanitizer. Also, they should perform hand cleaning after touching medical equipment and objects in the client-care vicinity, after using the restroom, before eating, and after sneezing or coughing into a tissue.

2. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal Protective Equipment includes items such as:

• Gowns
• Gloves
• Respirators
• Masks
• Eyewear

The purpose of PPE is to protect clothing, skin, respiratory tract, and mucous membranes from infectious agents. One should wear gloves during activities that involve vascular access and a surgical mask, gown, and goggles to prevent a spray of body fluids and blood from occurring to the face and body.

3. Cleaning and Disinfection

Waiting areas, client care areas, and other places with contaminated objects or surfaces frequently touched by people (sinks, toiles, doorknobs, etc.) should be routinely cleaned with EPA-registered disinfectants. Before disinfection, the surfaces and objects must be cleaned because most disinfectants are ineffective in the presence of organic matter and dirt. Wipe away organic material and dirt with a cloth wet with the disinfectant. Next, use a clean cloth to apply the disinfectant to the object and allow it to air dry. Also, specific pathogens cannot be inactivated by commercial disinfectants. In those situations, it’s recommended using a bleach solution (1:10) for disinfecting.

4. Needlestick and Sharps Injury Prevention

To prevent healthcare workers from exposure to bloodborne pathogens, safe handling of needles and sharp devices is a necessary component of standard precautions for infection control. The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act comes with specific mandates, such as:

• Don’t overfill the Sharps container.
• Activate the safety devices on sharps immediately after use.
• Discard used needles immediately after use.
• Place any used and contaminated sharps in a puncture-resistant, leak-proof container with a biohazard label.

5. Safe Injection Practices

The need to re-emphasize safe injection practices was prompted by hepatitis B and C infection outbreaks in US ambulatory care facilities. Healthcare personnel who give injections must strictly adhere to Safe Injection Practices. It refers to:

• Using a new syringe and needle with each dose.
• Use of a new syringe and needle every time an IV bag or medication vial is accessed.
• Use medication vials for one client only (when possible).

6. Respiratory Hygiene (Cough Etiquette)

People in common areas, such as waiting rooms, can spread infections to others present in the same area. To help prevent respiratory disease transmission, we need to promote measures to avoid the spread of respiratory secretions. Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette include:

• Perform hand hygiene immediately after contact with contaminated objects and respiratory secretions.
• Cover the mouth and nose with a tissue when sneezing or coughing as well as containing respiratory droplets by using the crook of the elbow.
• Contain respiratory secretions by using tissues.
• Ask patients with signs of respiratory illness to wear a surgical mask while waiting.
• Space the seating (at least 3 feet) in common areas to minimize close contact among persons.

Dental Specialties Institute, Inc. provides courses for RDAs who want to obtain their Infection Control Certificate or renew their license. Feel free to contact us if you need more information on the matter.