Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. HOME CARE ACQUIRED INFECTIONS PURPOSE: Surveillance, identification, prevention, control and investigation of infectious and communicable diseases and the compliance with regulatory standards. Definitions of Infections We encourage to use a surveillance system that was designed to identify bacterial infections in home care patients, to reach our Goal to Prevent Infections. By definition, a home care acquired infection cannot have onset until 72 hours after the admission to the home care agency. In accordance with CDC, Health Department, Association for Professionals in Infection Control Epidemiology (APIC) and OSHA standards, we address: • General infection control measures appropriate for care/service provided • Hand washing • Use of standard precautions and personal protective equipment • Needle-stick prevention and sharps safety • Appropriate cleaning/disinfecting procedures • Infection surveillance, monitoring and reporting of employees and patients • Disposal and transportation of regulated waste, if applicable • Precautions to protect immune-compromised patients • Employee health conditions limiting their activities • Assessment and utilization of data obtained about infections and the infection control program • Protocols for addressing patient care issues and prevention of infection related to infusion therapy, urinary • tract care, respiratory tract care, and wound care • Guidelines on caring for patients with multi-drug resistant organisms • Policies on protecting patients and personnel from blood borne or airborne pathogens • Monitoring staff for compliance with HHA policies and procedures related to infection control • Protocols for educating patient and personnel in standard precautions and the prevention and control of infection We maintain a detail OSHA Blood Borne Pathogen and TB Exposure Control Plan training for all direct care personnel. The exposure control plans are reviewed annually and updated to reflect significant modification in tasks or procedures that may result in occupational exposure. The Exposure Control Plan includes engineering and work practice controls that eliminate occupational exposure or reduce it to the lowest feasible extent (e.g., use of safer medical devices, and appropriate respiratory protection devices). A copy of the plans is available to the personnel at the Agency, and in the Annual mandatory in-service. Our Director of Nursing, Clinical Manager, with the help of the Infection control committee have the responsibility for the implementation of the infection control activities and personnel education. All of our Patient will be instructed, during our services to call their physician, if they have any of the following signs of infection: • Rise in body temperature above 100 degrees F • Tenderness, pain, swelling, redness or drainage around catheter site(s), wound(s) or tube(s) Home Health Agency Nursing Care & Procedures K-85