Infection Prevention and Control

Course details

This programme module aims to equip the learner with the knowledge, skill and competence to prevent and control infection within the health services area.

The Benefits to Learners of this Valuable Qualification

• The learner will understand what the area of Infection Control means and its importance for every member of the Healthcare team
• The learner will have an understanding of the basic principles of infection control and be able to apply standard precautions in relation to infection control
• The learner will be aware of the importance of infection prevention and control in providing a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors
• The learner will be aware of healthcare-associated infection
• The learner will understand their own role in the prevention of the spread of infection.
• To assist the learner to develop the academic and vocational language, literacy and numeracy skills related to Care Support through the medium of the indicative content,
• To enable the learner to take responsibility for his/her own learning.

Requirements:

The requirements for entry to the Infection Prevention and COntrol Level 6 Minor Award are, Leaving Certificate standard or equivalent qualifications or FETAC/QQI Level 4 Certificate and/or relevant life and work experiences.

The following content will be covered in this course:

• Explain the basic principles of infection and the application of standard precautions in relation to infection control, to include the significance of an Area of Infection Control
• Discuss the importance of infection prevention and control in the healthcare area, in providing a healthy environment for patients, staff and visitors
• Summarise the various types of micro organisms, the elements required for the growth, spread and subsequent infection process, to include direct and indirect contact, knowledge of the chain of infection and the need for vigilance and safe practice at all times
• Analyse the predisposing factors to the development of healthcare-acquired infections to include contact precautions, respiratory precautions and enteric precautions
• Discuss the role and functions of the local infection control team members, to include local policy in relation to dress, staff health and travel associated infections
• Investigate the terms cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation to include cleaning standards, procedures and frequencies while paying special attention to decontamination of equipment, including patient care equipment
• Identify the main blood borne viruses which pose a threat and the methods that prevent the spread of infections
• Examine the role of antibiotics and the importance of correct and safe antibiotic use to avoid antibiotic resistance
• Differentiate between social hand hygiene, antiseptic hand hygiene and surgical hand hygiene to include the correct use of alcohol hand gels and the need for good personal skin care and efficient hand washing
• Implement the local terminal cleaning procedure in a range of settings, such as an isolation room, single use items and outbreak management
• Apply appropriate management of blood and body fluid spillages, to include policies for dealing with clean and soiled linen, the disposal of sharps and the correct management following inoculation, injury or accidental exposure to blood and body fluids.

Assessment:

The assessment process includes a combination of module appropriate assessment procedures which will facilitate the assessment of learning outcomes of this course. These methods will include continuous assessment processes such as:

Skills Demonstration – A skills demonstration is used to assess a wide range of practical based learning outcomes including practical skills and knowledge. A skills demonstration will require the learner to complete a task or series of tasks that demonstrate a range of skills.

Learner Record – This course is assessed through completion of a number of activities and completion of a personal Learner Record which records your experience of supervision in a childcare context. This will cover planning of initiatives, making decisions, in addition to demonstrating your supervision and organisational skills. All work submitted must be your own work.

Examination – A supervised exam will take place at a time to be confirmed by the tutor. This will be a supervised exam after the completion of the module. This which will assess the learners ability to recall, apply theory and show an understanding of the different concepts drawn from the module.

Accreditation:

FETAC/QQI “ Infection Prevention and Control Level 5 Minor award
Awarded by -(QQI) Quality & Qualifications Ireland

Progression:

On successful completion of this Infection Prevention and Control course, the participant will have achieved one of eight modules which lead to a Major Award in Healthcare Support Level 5