Infection Control - Prevention and Management of Harmful Pathogens in Healthcare Settings

Course overview

All members of the health team are at risk of exposure to the hazards of infectious disease transmission through needle sticks or sharps injury, splash contact, and exposure to body fluids. Patients and visitors can also be exposed to bacterial and viral disease transmission. Hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) account for the greatest number of exposures in healthcare settings. Important principles of infectious disease control and prevention, and the management of accidental exposure outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) relative to healthcare organizations and employees, patients, and the community, and the management of sepsis are discussed.