Infection Control In Health Care

Introduction

Infection control is the major concern in healthcare industrial. According to World Health Organization (WHO), infection prevention and control measures are to protect vulnerable group who might be acquire an infection both in the general community and while receiving care due to health problems, in a range of settings (World Health Organization, 2015). In perioperative setting, infection control is particularly important because surgical intervention provide a portal of entry for pathogenic microorganism as it interrupts skin integrity, which is the body’s first line defense against microorganisms. Poor infection control will lead to postoperative surgical site infection result in delayed recovery that lead to increased length

According Association of perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) standard, healthcare facilities that reprocessing medical devices must have quality control program. For example, monitor steam sterilization cycles using physical, chemical and biological indicators, having a product recall procedures, maintaining appropriate documentation and reporting system that enable traceability to each sterilized medical items to patient ( AORN). In author’s hospital, there are three table top flash sterilizers in operating theatre. Perioperative nurses are responsible to process IUSS including decontamination of the instruments. To ensure the IUSS meet the AORN standard, the charge nurse will carry out daily cleaning of the table top flash sterilizer. The charge nurse will inspect the physical integrity of flash sterilizer such as make sure water level in the tank is at the recommended level, inspect gaskets of door for cracks or loosening of rubber and check drainage valve before run a "warm up" cycle and conduct function check every morning before using the sterilizer. A Bowie-Dick Test is perform daily after the "warm up" cycle in an empty load to ensure the sterilization process is effective. The charge nurse will check and ensure that the colour on the test strip has changed evenly indicating an even distribution of temperature and pressure following a sterilization process. After that, the charge nurse will document relevant information on the back of the indication sheet. Other than the Bowie-Dick test, a daily rapid and weekly biological indicator (BI) test will also be carried out. The charge nurse will perform the rapid BI test (1 hour rapid readout attest BI) using a “Bacillus Stearothermophilus attest tube” daily. The charge nurse will perform another rapid biological indicator test if there is an