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Infection Prevention: Clinical Bag and Transmission-Based Precautions

presented by Lisa A. Gorski, MS, RN, HHCNS-BC, CRNI, FAAN

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Disclosure Statement:

Financial - Lisa Gorski receives compensation from MedBridge for the production of this course. She also receives compensation from BD Medical, Genentech, ivWatch, and Saxe Communications. Nonfinancial - Lisa Gorski is a Chairperson, Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation and Infusion Nurses Society Standards of Practice Committee.

Satisfactory completion requirements: All disciplines must complete learning assessments to be awarded credit, no minimum score required unless otherwise specified within the course.

MedBridge is committed to accessibility for all of our subscribers. If you are in need of a disability-related accommodation, please contact [email protected]. We will process requests for reasonable accommodation and will provide reasonable accommodations where appropriate, in a prompt and efficient manner.

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Video Runtime: 38 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 9 Minutes

This course covers infection prevention in home care, focusing on the clinical bag and transmission-based precautions.

This course provides home care and hospice clinicians with essential knowledge required to understand issues relative to infection and infection prevention. Home care clinicians typically carry a clinical bag containing a variety of supplies and equipment required for a home visit. To reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms between homes, the infection prevention practice of "bag technique" is considered best practice for clinicians and is demonstrated in this course. While standard precautions are applied to the care of all patients in all settings, transmission-based precautions are implemented based on known or suspected patient infection, such as with airborne diseases, like tuberculosis or measles, or with infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms. This course addresses application of transmission-based precautions in the home setting. Lastly, home care workers must recognize their risk for bloodborne and other infectious diseases as they care for patients and families and adhere to practices to reduce that risk.

Meet Your Instructor

Lisa A. Gorski, MS, RN, HHCNS-BC, CRNI, FAAN

Lisa Gorski has worked for more than 30 years as a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) for Wheaton Franciscan Home Health & Hospice, now part of Ascension at Home, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a CNS, she has developed and oversees the home infusion therapy program, provides staff education, and is involved in agency quality assessment, performance…

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Chapters & Learning Objectives

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1. The Clinical Bag

A variety of supplies and equipment, such as blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, hand hygiene supplies, and dressings, are typically carried by all home care and hospice clinicians in a clinical bag that is brought into the home for each home visit. These bags are a known source for microorganisms that potentially could be transferred from patient to patient. Best clinical practice is to adhere to the concept of “bag technique,” which consists of attention to hand hygiene and guidance for storage, removal, and cleaning of the bag and its contents. A demonstration of bag technique is included in this chapter.

2. Transmission-Based Precautions

While standard precautions are applied to the care of all patients in all settings, transmission-based precautions are implemented based on known or suspected patient infection, such as with airborne diseases like tuberculosis or measles, and infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms. Transmission-based precautions are adapted for the home care setting, as it is not possible to fully isolate patients at home as one would in a hospital setting. Application of the three types of transmission-based precautions—airborne, droplet, and contact precautions—is described in this chapter. Patient and family education is also addressed.

3. Occupational Hazards for Home Care Workers

Home care workers are at risk for bloodborne pathogens from sharps-related injuries and from exposure to infectious diseases, such as respiratory and skin infections. In fact, research has shown a serious risk for sharps injury among home care nurses and aides. Risk factors and risky practices associated with sharps injuries are explored in this chapter. The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, the federal standard aimed at protecting workers against occupational exposures to bloodborne diseases, is reviewed and explained. The handling of medical waste is also addressed.

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