What is encompassed in Standard Precautions?

[John Ferguson]

Dear Colleagues

Further to the recent Draft Aust ICG reviews, we’ve been discussing what is inlcuded in the SP standard.
I’ve usually referred to the CDC 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions as the bible in this regard. Table 4 on page 129 details SP – see http://www.asid.net.au/hicsigwiki/index.php?titleStandard_infection_control_precautions

My questions are –
– do others agree that this is the correct list?
– does/should SP also extend to include the range of practices associated with medical and surgical asepsis? The AICA Standard 11 specifies ‘Aseptic technique is to be performed when indicated’ and references AICA Standard 22, Invasive Devices.

I look forward to your views!

The other suggestion I have is that we make it clearer that SP is in fact a base-level contact precaution standard and that Transmission -based Contact Prec are only used in addition when it has been demonstrated that SP are insufficient to prevent transmission.

Best wishes
John

Dr John Ferguson
Director, Infection Prevention and Control Unit
Microbiologist and Infectious Diseases Physician
Hunter New England Health Service
Locked Bag 1, Newcastle, NSW 2310, Australia
tel 61 2 49214422, fax 61 2 49214440

Go to http://www.hicsiganz.org for ANZ healthcare infection control resources and networking.

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[Glenys Harrington]

John,

I would include mention of aseptic technique or no-touch techniques in
Standard Precautions guidelines. The terms would need to be defined in the
context of a non-surgical environment.

Aseptic technique and no-touch techniques are important aspects of basic
infection prevention practice.

Unfortunately aseptic technique and no-touch techniques are rarely mentioned
in guidelines. Why is this? Is it assumed that such practices are good?
My experience tells me that this is not the case. Many staff are either not
trained or have received inadequately training in these areas.

Unlike hand hygiene there is little or no credentialing or ongoing
monitoring in place yet these practices are probably of more importance in
terms preventing infection.

Regards

Glenys

Glenys Harrington
Consultant
Infection Control Consultancy (ICC)

PO Box 5202
Middle Park
Victoria, 3206
Australia

H: +61 3 96902216
M: +61 404 816 434
infexion@ozemail.com.au

ABN 47533508426

—–Original Message—–
John Ferguson
Precautions?

Dear Colleagues

Further to the recent Draft Aust ICG reviews, we’ve been discussing what is
inlcuded in the SP standard.
I’ve usually referred to the CDC 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions as
the bible in this regard. Table 4 on page 129 details SP – see
http://www.asid.net.au/hicsigwiki/index.php?title=Standard_infection_control
_precautions

My questions are –
– do others agree that this is the correct list?
– does/should SP also extend to include the range of practices associated
with medical and surgical asepsis? The AICA Standard 11 specifies ‘Aseptic
technique is to be performed when indicated’ and references AICA Standard
22, Invasive Devices.

I look forward to your views!

The other suggestion I have is that we make it clearer that SP is in fact a
base-level contact precaution standard and that Transmission -based Contact
Prec are only used in addition when it has been demonstrated that SP are
insufficient to prevent transmission.

Best wishes
John

Dr John Ferguson
Director, Infection Prevention and Control Unit
Microbiologist and Infectious Diseases Physician
Hunter New England Health Service
Locked Bag 1, Newcastle, NSW 2310, Australia
tel 61 2 49214422, fax 61 2 49214440

Go to http://www.hicsiganz.org for ANZ healthcare infection control resources and
networking.

Messages posted to this list are solely the opinion of the authors, and do
not represent the opinion of AICA.
Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives –
registration and login required.
Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new
message send an email to aicalist@aicalist.org.au
To send a message to the list administrator send an email to
aicalist-request@aicalist.org.au.
You can unsubscribe from this list be sending ‘signoff aicalist’ (without
the quotes) to listserv@aicalist.org.au

Messages posted to this list are solely the opinion of the authors, and do not represent the opinion of AICA.
Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives – registration and login required.
Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new message send an email to aicalist@aicalist.org.au
To send a message to the list administrator send an email to aicalist-request@aicalist.org.au.
You can unsubscribe from this list be sending ‘signoff aicalist’ (without the quotes) to listserv@aicalist.org.au

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