Infection Control and Standard Precautions
Break the chain
Infection requires a germ, a source, a way out, a way in, and a susceptible host - an older, frail, or catheterized resident is a prime host. Hand hygiene is the single most effective action. Wash with soap and water before and after every resident contact, after removing gloves, before eating, and after using the restroom; use soap and water rather than alcohol rub when hands are visibly soiled and for C. difficile, whose spores alcohol does not kill.
Standard precautions mean treat all blood, body fluids, secretions, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes as infectious. Wear gloves for contact with these; gloves are not needed for routine vital signs or feeding. Wear a gown and gloves for contact precautions, a mask for droplet precautions, and an N95 with negative-pressure ventilation for airborne precautions such as tuberculosis. Remove PPE before leaving the room and perform hand hygiene afterward. Do not share razors, toothbrushes, or other personal items. Never recap a used needle; drop it directly into the sharps container.
The traps
Gloves are a second skin, not a substitute for handwashing, and wearing gloves in the hallway or between residents spreads germs. Isolation does not mean neglect - the isolated resident is the loneliest person on the unit, so plan extra contact. Disinfection kills most germs on surfaces; sterilization destroys all organisms, including spores, and is not something you do at the bedside.
Rule of thumb: gloves off, hands washed - and when in doubt about a task, wash your hands before and after.