INFECTION pREVENTION elearning module one: standard precautions
Infection Prevention is many things but there are some minimum requirements and Standard Precautions we can take to ensure the health and safety of the dental team and patients alike.
The implementation of policies and procedures into clinical workflows is a critical part of infection prevention and sterilisation. Workflows and procedures within the reprocessing area have a direct impact on successful sterilisation outcomes. Efficiency and safety are the desired outcomes for any reprocessing area and bottlenecks in this space can negatively impact practice productivity.
infection prevention elearning Module three: compliance and regulatory
Having a clear understanding of the requirements for infection prevention and control compliance plays an important role in achieving the required sterilisation and reprocessing outcomes. The purpose of this course is to provide learners with an understanding of the relevant documentation for their practice, where to find it and how to use it.
In this topic we define the meaning of the overarching Standard Precautions statement. We also consider why Standards Precautions are a critical element of Infection Prevention and Control.
In this topic we look at ‘the why’ of Infection Prevention and Control. Understanding the potential for the spread of infectious diseases and how to prevent these is critical in the dental environment. Knowing how microorganisms are able to multiply and spread are important factors in the correct implementation of Standard Precautions.
Hand Hygiene plays a critical role in managing the spread of infectious diseases. Many common bacteria are spread by hand to hand contact and hand to surface contact. There are important considerations to achieving good Hand Hygiene outcomes in our practices and we will look at these and their limitations.
Personal Protective Equipment or PPE as it is commonly referred to, is the first line of defence for keeping dental team members safe from infectious disease. PPE forms part of Standard Precautions and requires correct implementation and wearing to be effective. PPE also has its limitations and understanding these can improve the level of protection.
In this topic we will cover personal hygiene aspects that are additional to the use of PPE. Although transmission of pathogenic microorganisms via any of these material items is unlikely, attention to these do help to keep the dental team safe and healthy.
There is always the risk in the dental practice that patients will arrive to appointments and be visibly ill. This topic covers the risks this may pose and also management strategies to minimise cross infection and keep the team and other patients well.
Many dental procedures generate high volume of aerosol contamination. In this topic we look at the potential risks of aerosol contamination and strategies to minimise and manage the risks.
In this topic we will discuss how we isolate and manage zones within the treatment room to improve cleaning outcomes. Zoning identifies our cleaning priorities and what the minimum requirements are for cleaning between patients.
In this topic we discuss cleaning requirements for surfaces in the dental treatment room. Effective cleaning limits microorganisms’ ability to reproduce. We will differentiate between detergents and disinfectants and where they apply in the cleaning process.
In this topic we define clinical waste and how we manage it. Dental practices have a responsibility to ensure waste is well managed to protect public safety beyond the practice itself. Safe management and disposal plays a critical role in reducing the risk of injury from contaminated sharp items.
CPD Accreditation: 3 Hours
Australian clinicians are required to make their own assessment as to the number of hours of Non-Scientific Continuing Education each course provides. This course is eligible for NZDA CPD points.
Prime Practice guarantees courses are compliant with the current Dental Board of Australia Guidelines on Continuing Professional Development.
In this topic we look at workflows in the reprocessing area and design features that contribute to compliance. Layout and design contribute to both safety and efficiency in the reprocessing room and often, with minor workflow adjustments, bottlenecks and risks can be eliminated.
How instruments are reprocessed prior to sterilisation can have a significant impact on the outcomes of the process. In this topic we begin to look at the specific requirements for reprocessing of dental instruments and how to manage items unique to dentistry.
In this topic we discuss the Spaulding Classification and how it relates to the reprocessing steps required for dental instruments and equipment. This widely adopted classification system allows easy identification of specific needs for reprocessing depending on how instruments are used.
Producing clean, sterile instruments for use on patients in the end goal of the entire reprocessing workflow. In this topic we look at sterilisation and how this is achieved with the correct use of appropriate equipment.
Testing, monitoring and recording of data from the sterilisation process is essential to ensuring the intended outcomes are achieved. This data also provides traceability of the process. There are several parameters of the sterilisation process that need to be tested, monitored and challenged.
Validation of the infection prevention and control process is essential for producing consistent reproducible outcomes. This includes validating the entire process but also undertaking validation, or Performance Qualification, on your steriliser.
CPD Accreditation: 3 Hours
Australian clinicians are required to make their own assessment as to the number of hours of Non-Scientific Continuing Education each course provides. This course is eligible for NZDA CPD points.
Prime Practice guarantees courses are compliant with the current Dental Board of Australia Guidelines on Continuing Professional Development.
In this topic we look at the multiple non-clinical aspects of compliance with infection prevention and control standards and guidelines. The practical undertaking of infection prevention and control is important for good outcomes. But, practical application can be inconsistent if good policies and robust systems are not in place to keep things on track.
Documentation plays an important role in infection prevention and control compliance. A sound understanding of all of the standards and regulatory documents is necessary to implement practical procedures in the dental practice. A Policy and Procedure sets out the expectations for the practice and provides clear work instructions for team members.
Infection prevention tasks undertaken in the dental practice are usually delegated. While there is no concern in this model within the dental practice, an overall accountability needs to be taken. In this topic we discuss who is ultimately responsible for the management and compliance of infection prevention in the dental practice.
A well trained team is a well functioning team. Training for infection prevention gets staff up to date with changing requirements while reinforcing existing ones. A team managed approach is fostered by engagement and training can provide staff with the encouragement they need.
Once the dental practice has clear policies and procedures for infection and control, the focus shifts to maintaining these. Team changes, different equipment and new products can all cause slips in the levels of compliance within the dental practice. The introduction of a Quality Assurance Program provides a solution to keep everything on track. This provides reassurance that your systems are producing the expected outcomes.
CPD Accreditation: 2 Hours
Australian clinicians are required to make their own assessment as to the number of hours of Non-Scientific Continuing Education each course provides. This course is eligible for NZDA CPD points.
Prime Practice guarantees courses are compliant with the current Dental Board of Australia Guidelines on Continuing Professional Development.
Get up to 10% off when you purchase these three infection prevention e-learning modules together – Standard Precautions, Sterilisation and Compliance & Regulatory.
The overall experience of the e-learning is fantastic. I can always go back to where I left before. The illustration of each concept is very clear and detailed.
Mark Jance / Forever Dental
Thank you Prime. I really appreciate the LinkedIn Certification upon completion.
Chris Hannings / Care Dental
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