Volunteer Handbook

INFECTION CONTROL – Applies to all Non-Employee Workforce Members (Revised 4/2018) The purpose of the infection control program is to prevent Hospital Acquired Infections or healthcareassociated infections to the extent possible and monitor and/or manager outbreaks after they occur • Prevention (hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting) • Monitoring (surveillance, outbreak investigation) • Management (outbreak planning/interruption) Presbyterian’s Infection Control Team o Every Presbyterian facility has an infection control practitioner available by calling the hospital operator.

All Presbyterian healthcare workers (including volunteers) have the responsibility to be aware of the risks and follow infection prevention procedures to minimize the transmission of infections. In addition, they should be able to identify infection risks and refer potential infection control issues to their manager.

Basic Principles – How Infections are Spread: o All people (patients, healthcare workers and visitors) are potentially infectious eve if they do not have a known recognized infection. o Most infections are spread by body fluids or by contact with moist tissues. o The most common way to spread germs is on contaminated hands. o Many germs may be spread through coughing and sneezing, especially during flu season.

Germs spread through the air but they can also collect on your hands when coughing or sneezing.

Respiratory Etiquette to Prevent Transmission: o Cover coughs or sneezes with tissue or the sleeve of your clothing o Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing o Keep a 3 foot distance from others around you if possible Transmission of Germs on Surfaces o Pathogens (germs) can live on many surfaces. o Clean surfaces with alcohol-based or antibacterial cleansers to reduce pathogens.

GLOBAL RED RULES 1. Positive Patient Identification 2. Proper Hand Hygiene – “Gel in and gel out” Before and after rendering ANY patient care and/or entering a patient’s room, appropriate hand hygiene will be adhered to. When hands are visibly soiled, they must be washed thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. In between hand washing, alcohol based hand gel should be used.

Hand Hygiene: CLEAN HANDS are the single most important factor in preventing the spread of germs. Keep your hands clean to protect yourself, other healthcare workers, patients and visitors from infection.

Hand Hygiene is a “Global Red Rule” at Presbyterian – that means we ask EVERYONE to observe this rule, in every circumstance where it applies. Protect yourself, other healthcare workers, patients, members and visitors from infection!

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