Infection Control Education Institute

PHOENIX, AZ-The company that publishes Infection Control Today has created the Infection Control Education Institute to offer continuing education to all healthcare professionals involved in maintaining infection control protocol. Each educational lesson is created to provide the most current information on cleaning, disinfecting, decontaminating, and sterilizing medical products and devices that are essential to safe patient care and staff welfare. Headed by Educational Director, Jennifer Walmsley, the Institute will offer a seminar on Monday, June 12, 2000 with two concurrent curriculums; one created with central sterile managers in mind and the other created for OR/nursing managers. The day-long seminar will be held at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix and will offer continuing education credits through the Arizona Nurses' Association. Walmsley states, "It is our goal to create practical, useful, needs-based lessons that will resolve deficiencies in the quality of work by healthcare professionals." The curriculum being offered at the seminar is as follows:

CENTRAL STERILE CURRICULUM

HAND HYGIENE AND HAND HEALTH - Understand the link between handwashing, hand hygiene, and infection prevention by learning when handwashing and/or hand antisepsis should be done. How to avoid damaged skin will also be covered. Handwashing is the most important step in halting nosocomial infections in the hospital setting.

THE NEW WORLD OF CENTRAL SERVICE - An overview of professional certification and accreditation, plus a discussion on the reuse of single-use medical devices, emerging diseases, and the growing need for computerization.

ETHYLENE OXIDE: TRANSPORTING, STORING, AND HANDLING - Chemical sterilants are toxic and hazardous and need to be handled properly. Learn to manage ethylene oxide cylinders and cartridges safely.

SAFE USE AND HANDLING OF GLUTARALDEHYDE PRODUCTS - View a sample policy on the safe use and handling of glutaraldehyde. Learn to develop an education plan to instruct employees working with or around glutaraldehyde on safe work practices, including spill clean-up, to reduce or minimize the hazards associated with this chemical.

GAS PLASMA LOW-TEMPERATURE STERILIZATION TECHNOLOGY - Gas plasma is slowly emerging as a low-temperature alternative to ethylene oxide. Become aware of how gas plasma is created as well as understand the advantages and limitations gas plasma sterilization offers.

CONTROLLING AND IMPROVING THE STERILIZATION PROCESS USING BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL INDICATORS - Comprehend the goal of the sterilization process and know why chemical integration cannot replace the use of biological indicators. Realize there are areas beyond the sterilization monitoring program that can control and improve the effectiveness of the sterilization process.

CLEANING COMPLICATED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS - Learn how cleaning processes are affected by the complex design of many surgical instruments, why soaking and copious flushing with detergents help with the cleaning process, and how to match the brush size with that of the object to be cleaned.

OR/NURSING CURRICULUM

HAND HYGIENE AND HAND HEALTH - Understand the link between handwashing, hand hygiene, and infection prevention by learning when handwashing and/or hand antisepsis should be done. How to avoid damaged skin will also be covered. Handwashing is the most important step in halting nosocomial infections in the hospital setting.

A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO REDUCING NEEDLESTICK INJURIES TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS - Learn to reduce needlestick injuries to healthcare workers throughout the nursing process. Identify three types of hazard controls used to reduce needlestick injuries. Develop an administrative plan based on the surveillance data collected to reduce needlestick injuries.

CONTROLLING INFECTIONS RELATED TO BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS - An overview of the major components of OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard and the guidelines in the CDC's Standard Precautions.

PREVENTING THE TRANSMISSION OF CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE - Review the symptoms of this infectious, neurological disorder and learn about the special isolation precautions necessary to prevent transmission in the OR and decontamination areas.

ARE YOU IN COMPLIANCE WITH PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS? - Examine the general requirements of an Exposure Control Plan and enumerate the types of PPE used by healthcare workers to control occupational exposure to infectious materials.

WOUND CLEANSING VS. ANTISEPSIS - An overview of common problems in wound and skin care. Assess the appropriate agents and methods to clean wounds and recognize the role of healthcare practitioners in treating wounds.

To register for the seminar, contact Jennifer Walmsley at (480) 990-1101, ext. 1459.