SBA - Presentation 1 (b)

Infection
Prevention

Maternal Health Division

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Government of India
 Session Objectives
To know
Sources of infection
Importance of infection prevention
Principles of infection prevention
Standard precautions
Preparation of 0.5% chlorine solution
Preparation of clean and disinfected
instruments/gloves
Disposal of biomedical waste
Proper handling of contaminated waste

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 Sources of Infection

What are the common sources of

infection?
Environment : Blood, body fluids,
secretions, excretions, placenta,
contaminated sharps and other
equipments.
Other clients & Attendants
People in the community
Health care delivery personnel

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 Why is infection prevention
important?

To prevent the occurrence of

infections and to minimize the
risk of transmitting any
infections including hepatitis B,
C and HIV to clients, health
care staff and community.

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 Principles of Infection
Prevention
All objects in contact with the client:
Potentially contaminated
Every person: Potentially infectious
If an object is disposable: Discard as
waste.
If reusable: Prevent infection by
decontamination cleaning,
disinfecting or sterilizing

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 Standard Precautions

1. Hand washing
2. Use of protective attire
3. Processing of used items
4. Proper handling and disposal of
sharps
5. Maintaining a clean environment
6. Biomedical waste disposal

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 1. Standard Precautions: Hand
Washing

Technique Main Purpose Agents Residual

effect
Routine hand Cleansing Non medicated soap Short
washing

Careful hand Cleansing after client Non medicated soap Short

washing contact

Hygienic hand rub Disinfection after Alcohol Disinfection

contamination

Surgical hand Pre-operative Antibacterial soap , Long

disinfection disinfection Alcoholic solutions

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 Steps of hand washing

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Wet the hands and wrists. Right palm over left, Palm to palm,
Apply soap. left over right. Fingers interlaced.

Step 4 Step 5 Step 6

Back fingers to opposing Rotational rubbing of right Rotational rubbing
Fingers interlocked. Thumb clasped in left backwards and forwards
palm and vice versa. with top of fingers and
thumb of right
Hand in left and vice
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2. Standard Precautions: Protective
attire

Gloves
Masks
Eye-covers
Gowns
Caps
Footwear

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3. Standard Precautions: Processing of used
items

A. Decontamination
B. Cleaning
C. Sterilization or high level
disinfection (HLD)
D. Storage

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 Processing of used items
A. Decontamination:
Preparation of Bleaching solution (0.5%)
Wear utility gloves and plastic apron.
Take 1 litre of water in plastic bucket.
Make thick paste with 3 levelled tea spoons
of bleaching powder and water in a plastic
mug.
Mix paste in the bucket of water to make 0.5
% chlorine solution.
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 Processing of used items
B. Cleaning:
Involves - scrubbing with a brush,
detergent and water.
Detergent is important for effective
cleaning because water alone does
not remove proteins, oils and grease.

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 Processing of used items

C. Sterilization:
Sterilization ensures that items are free of
all microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi
and parasite) including endospores.

Three methods of sterilisation:

Steam sterilisation / Autoclaving / Pressure cooker
autoclaving
Dry heat sterilisation
Chemical / cold sterilisation

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 Processing of used items
C. Sterilization:
Pressure cooker type autoclave
Geared steam gauge Excess pressure relief
valve

Control Valve
Top Handle
Air exhaust tube

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 Processing of used items
C. Sterilization:
High level Disinfection
HLD eliminates bacteria, viruses, fungi and
parasites, but does not kill all endospores which
cause diseases such as tetanus and gas
gangrene.
HLD only acceptable alternative to sterilisation.
There are 3 methods of HLD:
Boiling
Chemical HLD
Steaming

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 Processing of used items
D. Storage:

To prevent contamination after

processing

Do not store instruments or other

items such as scalpel blades and
suture needles in solution, always
store them dry

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 4. Standard Precautions:
Proper Handling and Disposal of sharps

Needles and syringes

Use disposable needle and syringe ONLY ONCE.
Always wear utility gloves while handling sharps
Do not disassemble the needle and syringe after use.
Do not recap, bend or break needles before disposal.
Make needles unusable after single use by burning
them in a needle destroyer
Never burn syringes

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 4. Standard Precautions:
Proper Handling and Disposal of sharps

Needles and syringes

Dispose off needles and syringes in a puncture-
proof container such as metal box, cardboard
box or an empty plastic box.

Finally dispose as follows:

(i) Dispose the needles and broken vials in pit
/ tank,
(ii) Send the syringes and unbroken vials for
recycling or landfill
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 5. Standard Precautions:
Maintaining clean environment

Type of cleaning solution Uses

Plain detergent and water To remove dirt & organic material

such as grease, oil

Disinfectant To clean up spills of blood or other

0.5 % chlorine solution body fluids

Disinfectant cleaning solution For cleaning areas operation

theatres, procedure rooms , latrines

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 6. Standard Precautions:
Biomedical Waste Disposal

It is the waste that is generated during diagnosis,

treatment
or immunization of human beings

Purpose of waste disposal

Minimize/Prevent the spread of infection to
hospital personnel who handle waste
Prevent the spread of infection to the local
community

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 6. Standard Precautions:
Biomedical Waste Disposal

Steps of waste disposal

A. Segregation
B. Collection and Storage
C. Transportation
D. Treatment and disposal

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 Biomedical Waste Disposal:
A. Segregation
Colour coded bins Puncture Proof
Container

Yellow Bag Black Bag Red Bag All Needles and Sharps
I.V. Cannulas
Human tissue Kitchen waste Disinfected catheters Broken Ampoules
Placenta and Paper bags I.V. bottles and tubes All Blades
PoCs Waste paper / Disinfected plastic
Waste swabs / gloves
thermocol
bandage
Disposable Other plastic material
Other items
(surgical waste) glasses & plates
contaminated Left over food
with blood

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Biomedical Waste Disposal:
B. Collection and Storage

Wrong Correct

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Biomedical Waste Disposal:
C. Transportation

Wrong Correct

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 Biomedical Waste Disposal:
D. Treatment and Disposal

Dos
Disinfect and destroy the waste before its final
disposal.
Remember
Biological waste to be buried deep at the sub-
centre
Syringes to be cut with hub cutters and chemically
disinfected at source of generation before final
disposal into sharps pit located at the PHC

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 Key Messages
Hand-washing is essential for preventing
infections
Always wear gloves especially where there is a
risk of touching blood, body fluids, secretions,
excretions or contaminated items
Decontamination : 0.5% bleach solution is the
least expensive and the most rapid acting and
effective agent to use for decontamination
Proper handling of contaminated waste
minimizes the spread of infection to healthcare
personnel and to the local community

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 Key Messages
Proper handling means:
Wearing utility gloves
Transporting solid contaminated waste to the
disposal site in covered containers
Disposing of all sharp items in puncture-
resistant containers
Carefully pouring liquid waste down a drain
or flushable toilet
Burning or burying contaminated solid waste
Washing containers, gloves and hands after
disposal of infectious waste
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Thank you

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