The importance of hygiene in the healthcare industry can’t be overstated. From hospitals to doctors’ surgeries, medical centres, pathology collection facilities, dental clinics, aged care facilities, hospices, and many others, staff must implement effective strategies to mitigate the risks of contamination and transmission of disease-causing microorganisms. Products to support this aim may be available online from a superior dental products supplier.
Hygiene Defined
The term “hygiene” refers to an array of protocols implemented in clinics, labs, and other facilities to prevent infection and the transmission of disease. It incorporates personal hygiene of staff and patients/clients (hand washing, hand sanitisation, teeth cleaning, showering, etc), using personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfection, sterilisation, food hygiene, and water sanitation.
Using appropriate hygiene practices in a healthcare setting improves health outcomes and protects patients and staff from preventable harm due to the presence of disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other toxins. Part of this aims to eliminate the potential for cross-contamination between patients and between patients and staff (and vice-versa). It also strives to minimise hospital-acquired (or other clinical-setting-acquired) infections and complications.
Why is Clinical Hygiene so Critical?
Hygiene protocols must be implemented to prevent disease.
A clear and important example of this is the high risk of healthcare-associated infection. Infections directly attributed to being in a hospital or other clinical setting are the most common complications associated with being a patient. These are very serious; they often prolong the time a patient must spend in hospital and, depending on the nature of the infection and patient parameters, can directly lead to death which would not otherwise have occurred.
Perhaps the most notable of these clinically-acquired infections is Golden Staph or Staphylococcus aureus. It is a bloodstream infection that is an increasingly common in-hospital complication. Some forms of it are extremely difficult to treat; this includes the dreaded Methycillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. Also of note is Clostridium difficile, which is a common infection-causing bowel bacteria that affects a lot of patients in hospitals.
Patients and the elderly are extremely vulnerable to infection. While present throughout the community, these pathogens spread very quickly and easily in hospitals, both person-to-person and surface-to-person. They have been identified on door handles, soap dispensers, and even computer keyboards in non-patient areas.
Types of Hygiene
Clinical settings in Australia are governed by Standard Precautions. These minimum infection-prevention procedures apply to the care of all patients, regardless of the setting and whether the patient is a suspected, confirmed, or cleared infection risk.
The goal of these is to keep patients, staff, and the wider community safe and disease-free.
Hygiene Types include:
- Hand Hygiene is the simplest and most basic, yet extremely important and effective first line of defence used to prevent the transmission of harmful microorganisms in a clinical setting as well as in all areas of life.
- Personal Protective Equipment or PPE should be used by everyone from doctors, nurses, pathologists, podiatrists, dentists, tattooists, piercers, and many others – especially when there is any risk of contact with bodily fluids or mucous membranes. It includes gloves, protective eyewear, face masks or shields, surgical gowns, and more.
- Sharps Safety aims to prevent injury during injections and incisions and is critical for preventing bloodborne infections including but certainly not limited to HIV and Hepatitis B and C.
- Aseptic Technique requires the use of sterile instruments and equipment; these will ideally be single-use (for example, hypodermic or dental needles). It also requires that a sterile and germ-free treatment field is maintained for all invasive procedures and wound care.
- Cough Etiquette is more important than ever in light of COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV. As well as wearing masks if unwell or in certain environments, everyone should be covering their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Hand hygiene needs to be adhered to immediately afterwards.
- Cleaning/Disinfection/Waste Disposal to maintain the safety of the physical environment is essential. This includes all frequently touched surfaces and reusable equipment. Biological waste and sharps must be contained safely and appropriately managed.
- Sterilisation eliminates or inactivates all living microorganisms on equipment. It includes ultrasonic cleaning, autoclave sterilisation, and other methods.
Maintaining hygiene is essential for public health and safety – and ensuring we all remain well. The responsibility is on every one of us.