Infection Control & Safety

7.03 Patients with Infectious Disease The center adheres to infection control policies to ensure the safety of patients, physicians, and staff members. Patients who are currently being treated for an infectious disease or condition that is transmitted via the contact route may not be treated at the center. Patients with disease spread via droplet (e.g. influenza) or airborne (e.g. tuberculosis, measles) routes will reschedule their procedures in consultation with their physicians. The infection control nurse, in consultation with the infection control consultant, will determine whether the patient requires isolation or other additional precautions. If a patient with current Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea is treated at the center, all rooms where the patient was housed, even briefly, should be cleaned by housekeeping under supervision of the staff at the center. Physicians must document relevant information in their pre-admission documentation. Standard Precautions will be followed in the care of all patients. Cigarroa Interventional Institute establishes policies to ensure compliance with infection control policies for the care of patients with drug-resistant organisms. The physician will screen patients through the medical history review prior to scheduling a patient at the center. During the pre-operative (pre-op) phone call or interview, a pre-op screening of the patient will be conducted. Strict isolation policies are required to treat patients with active MRSA, VRSA, or tuberculosis. Since this facility has no provisions for strict isolation, those patients with active infections will be referred elsewhere for treatment. Patients who are undergoing or completed a course of antibiotic therapy, are colonized and/or are not actively infected may be treated at the center. Patients with active infections requiring transmission-based precautions are not appropriate candidates for this facility and will be referred to another facility or rescheduled. Procedures cannot be scheduled for patients currently undergoing an infection with transmission based precautions. The patient must finish the course, and they will be rescheduled. Definitions and Standards: The following definitions and standards are provided for informational purposes only: Airborne Transmission and Precautions: This mode of transmission occurs by the spreading of either airborne droplet nuclei (small particle residue of 5 microns or smaller), of evaporated droplets which contain microorganisms that remain suspended in the air for long periods of time) or dust particles containing microorganisms. Patients must be isolated in private rooms with special air handling and ventilation, and the door must remain closed. Patient transport should be restricted to essential transport only. Respiratory precautions must be taken when in the presence of patients with active tuberculosis, including respiratory masks. Droplet Transmission and Precautions: Droplets are transmitted from the host source by coughing, sneezing, talking, or during procedures such as suctioning or bronchoscopy. Patients must be isolated, and a distance of 3 feet maintained between the infected patient and others. Caregivers within 3 feet of the patient should wear a mask. Patient transport should be minimized. Contact Transmission and Precautions: Direct contact transmission involves direct body surface to body surface contact with physical transfer of microorganisms between a susceptible host and an infected person. Indirect contact transmission involves contact with an intermediate object (usually inanimate) and a susceptible host. Patients should be isolated as much as possible. Gloves and hand washing are essential for all contact with the patient and contact with objects, which come in contact with the patient. Gloves should be changed after each contact. Reportable Condition If the patient is determined to have a reportable condition at any time during pre-admission, the Director of Operations/Nurse Manager will be notified. The procedural physician will be contacted and the case will be canceled. The Department of Health will also be notified the same day following state regulations regarding Reportable Communicable Diseases. To report a disease or condition, contact: The City of Laredo Epidemiology 24/7 Reporting Line: (956) 763-2915, if unable to report locally, call The Texas Departmrent of Health Services epidemiology program: 24/7Number for Immediately Reportable – 1-800-705-8868

7.015 Hand Hygiene: Practice observation of hand hygiene compliance via the use of a hand hygiene survey tool to be reviewed quarterly at the QAPI committee. (Chapter 10.14 Handwashing & Surgical Antisepsis) Continue infection control education through ongoing orientation to center staff routinely and annual mandatory in-service. Continue to promote hand hygiene awareness for patients and staff by means of educational materials placed throughout the center which references the CDC/WHO guidelines. Needle-stick Injuries: (Refer to Exposure Control Plan) Use of designated safety engineered needles for injections (safety glide needles for injection and autoguard IV catheters) and blood draw. New employee and annual clinical competency for injections will be provided to all staff. The staff will be trained yearly on OSHA, blood borne pathogens and PPE. 7.016 Hand Hygiene Quality in the ASCs: based on AORN (Association of periOperative Registered Nurses) Standards and guidelines Policy: All ASC staff, including physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers, are required to perform hand hygiene before and after any direct contact with patients, before and after any procedure, and after any contact with potentially contaminated items or surfaces. Hand hygiene must be performed using either an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. The alcohol-based hand rub must contain at least 60% alcohol. Staff members must ensure that their hands are free of debris and visible dirt before performing hand hygiene. Hand hygiene must be performed for a minimum of 20 seconds, and hands must be dried thoroughly after washing. Staff members must be trained on proper hand hygiene techniques and will be educated on a regular basis to ensure compliance with this policy. All staff members must comply with this policy and demonstrate compliance during inspections by ASC management and regulatory agencies. Any staff member who fails to comply with this policy will be subject to disciplinary action. ASC management will monitor compliance with this policy through regular inspections and audits and will take appropriate action to address any noncompliance issues. The ASC will maintain records of staff compliance with this policy as part of its infection control program. The ASC will review and update this policy on an annual basis or more frequently as needed to ensure that it remains current with the latest guidelines and standards for hand hygiene quality.

7.012 Employee Health The Center provides a safe working environment for all employees through a collaborative effort with them and the organization’s infection control program to identify infectious conditions that may put staff, patients and visitors at risk. Health evaluations, immunity testing for measles, mumps rubella and chickenpox, tuberculosis screening and immunity testing for hepatitis B and if not immune either signs declination form or accepts 3 dose vaccine series. (Rrefer to the Employee and Occupational Health Section policy Chapter 3.21) It is the center’s policy to monitor Health Care Associated Infections (HAI) in patients and personnel working in the Center as part of its ongoing program in Infection Prevention and Control. Staff should be encouraged to stay home when they have signs and symptoms of an infectious disease. If a staff develops signs and symptoms while at work, the person of other personnel and patients who may have been exposed to a staff member with a communicable disease should be taken into consideration. Patients and personnel can be told that they were exposed to a certain disease without disclosing the index case’s identity. In addition we work together to provide an annual influenza vaccination program that includes all staff who have patient contact, and licensed independent practitioners. Environmental Rounds - Environmental rounds are performed daily by assigned staff members, ie. “safety officer”. Feedback on opportunities for improvement is given to the Infection Control Coordinator and QAPI committee and then reported to the board Education – Employee education includes: General information about infections Techniques for prevention, surveillance, investigation and control Review of policies and procedures related to infection control: (See attachment B, policy and procedure reference list) Employee health practices; refer to Administration 3.16 Orientation and Training Offer of Hepatitis B vaccination & post exposure evaluations Annual TB skin testing Provides access to influenza vaccinations. Educates staff and licensed independent practitioners about influenza vaccination; non-vaccine infection control measures (such as the use of Droplet Precautions); and diagnosis, transmission, and potential impact of influenza. Annually evaluates vaccination participation and non-participation in the influenza immunization program and reports to Department of Health.

7.018 Safe Injection Practices (Refer to 7.07 Safe Injection Policy) Environment of Care: Active participation with all identified projects to assess compliance with infection control standards. . Surveillance, Control, and Reporting includes: Baseline information about the frequency and type of nosocomial infections. Identification of patients and/or staff with communicable or potentially communicable infections. Patients identified with a communicable disease will be isolated from other patients in the facility or, if this is not possible, they will be transferred to a local hospital for care or rescheduled. Identification of clusters of microorganisms or significant deviations from endemic level. Reporting to committees and outside agencies, when required. Investigation of infections as needed. Immediate implementation of corrective and preventive measures that result in improvements. The Infection Control nurse or designated staff member will perform facility audits and report results to the QI committee and Board of Managers. EVALUATION Evaluation and improvement of the infection prevention and control activities are important steps in the Center’s efforts to control and prevent infection. Infection prevention and control practices should become a routine part of the care, treatment, or services the center provides to patients. Patients expect and deserve hygienic and safe care even if their contact with the Center does not extend beyond a single visit. Continuous review of the goals, activities, and outcomes of the Center’s initiative are therefore followed by improvement activities that are realistic in expectation and, above all, effective. Evaluation of the plan shall include but not be limited to: Evaluation of the infection prevention and control activities annually and whenever risks significantly change. The evaluation includes a review of the following: The infection prevention and control prioritized risks The infection prevention and control goals. Implementation of infection prevention and control Outcomes of infection prevention and control activities. Findings from the evaluation are communicated at least annually to the Quality Management Committee References: http://oneandonlycampaign.org/content/what-are-they-why-follow-them. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2004). Guidance for the Selection and Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Healthcare Settings. Retrieved January 29, 2015 from www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/bbp/sharps.html. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2003). Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities 52(RR10);1-42. Retrieved January 29, 2015 from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5210a1.htm. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2002). Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings: Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. MMWR. 51(RR-16). Retrieved January 29, 2015 from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5116a1.htm. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2008). Sharps Safety Workbook. Retrieved April 24 2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/sharpssafety/pdf/workbookcomplete.pdf. Guideline for Infection Control in Healthcare Personnnel available at: Guideline for Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/pdf/InfectControl98.pdf Immunization of HealthCare Personnel, guidance available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/hcw.htm Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention Standards available at: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/index.html Sax H, et al. (2007). My five moments for hand hygiene: A user-centered design approach to understand, train, monitor and report hand hygiene. For the World Health Organization. J Hosp Infect 67(1):9–21. World Health Organization (WHO). (2005). World Alliance for Patient Safety. WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. Retrieved January 29 , 2015 from http://www.who.int/patientsafety/events/05/HH_en.pdf.

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