By: Abby Fike LPN
Infection control plays an essential part in staying healthy and preventing illness. Infection control minimizes the risk of infection and is vitally important in any healthcare setting.
The best way to prevent the spread of infection is through hand washing.
The best way to wash your hands is with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. Using an alcohol based hand sanitizer for 20 seconds is also effective. Hand washing removes germs that could potentially get in through any opening in the body. Common ways germs enter the body is through the eyes, ears, mouth, nose or an open wound. Most things that we touch during the day are covered in germs, so frequent hand washing is crucial in the protection against illness. Hand washing most always prevents the spread of infection.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are many different ways germs can be transmitted, such as through the air, by touch, or by punctures through the skin. This is why hand washing and using gloves when providing care is imperative to the safety of both the resident and staff member.
Keeping a clean environment coincides with hand washing. Cleaning is vitally important to the prevention of infection. Disinfecting, and sanitizing are necessary in preventing the spread of infection, as it kills germs and prevents them from being transmitted.
At Keepsake Kottage, infection control is essential in the care that we provide.
At Keepsake Kottage, we have daily cleaning sheets that ensure our houses get cleaned every single day. We disinfect the bathrooms throughout the day, and deep clean them in the evening. The kitchen is cleaned after every meal, the floors are swept and mopped, and the trash is taken out many times throughout the day. Three times a week, each of our residents’ rooms are deep cleaned, which includes sweeping, disinfecting, and dusting. Bedding is also washed and sanitized weekly and whenever else needed, and laundry is ongoing.
Keeping a clean environment for our residents is something that we take pride in. We know it is important not only for physical health and wellbeing, but also for mental health. Being able to be productive, and live in a clean environment promotes a positive mindset.
Preventing the spread of infection can be done, and is a priority in each and every Keepsake Kottage home.