Hygiene refers to the practices that help maintain cleanliness and health
As a home care aide, one of your most important duties is to maintain a clean and safe environment for your clients. This involves practicing good hygiene and infection prevention and control measures to prevent the spread of diseases, infection and illness.
As a home care aide, you should encourage your clients to practice good hygiene habits such as:
- Properly washing their hands frequently with soap and water
- Taking showers or baths regularly
- Flossing and brushing their teeth twice a day
- Wearing clean dry clothes
As a home care aide handwashing is a vital part of care giving. It is one of the best ways to prevent and combat contagious diseases. Here are good handwashing tips to ensure you are keeping you and your clients safe:
- Thoroughly wet your hands and apply antibacterial soap, ensuring that you cover your entire hand, including the spaces between your fingers.
- Rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds or alternatively until you finish singing the “Happy Birthday” song. Remember to clean under your fingernails as this is where most germs tend to hide.
- It is recommended that you avoid long artificial nails as they are difficult to clean and remove any jewelry before washing your hands as they can harbor germs.
- Rinse your hands with warm water, making sure to rinse off all the soap. Hot water should be avoided as it can cause skin damage and increase the risk of infections.
- Dry your hands completely, and it is best to use paper towels.
WHO: How to handwash? With soap and water
These steps will help ensure proper hand hygiene and reduce the risk of spreading infections.
It is vital to understand the most common types of infectious diseases to be able to recognize their symptoms and take necessary precautionary measures to prevent their spread. Here are some of the most common types of infectious diseases:
- Respiratory infections: These are infections that affect the respiratory system, such as the flu, colds, Covid-19 and pneumonia. Symptoms may include cough, congestion, fever, and difficulty breathing.
- Gastrointestinal infections: These are infections that affect the digestive system, such as food poisoning and viral gastroenteritis. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
- Skin infections: These are infections that affect the skin, such as impetigo, ringworm, shingles, and cellulitis. Symptoms may include redness, swelling, and itching.
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): These are infections that are spread through sexual contact, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV. Symptoms may vary depending on the specific infection.
- Bloodborne infections: These are infections that are spread through blood, such as hepatitis B and C and HIV. Symptoms may not be present initially but can lead to chronic health problems if left untreated.
- Vector-borne infections: These are infections that are spread by insects or other arthropods, such as malaria and Lyme disease. Symptoms may include fever, joint pain, and rash.
By understanding the common types of infectious diseases, you can take necessary precautions to prevent their spread, such as practicing good hand hygiene, wearing personal protective equipment when necessary, and following infection control protocols. If you suspect that a client has an infectious disease, report it to the agency, their healthcare provider and take necessary steps to prevent its spread.
Infection control refers to the measures taken to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
This includes properly cleaning and disinfecting surface areas regularly, using personal protective equipment such as hand gloves and masks when necessary, and following proper hand hygiene practices.
When there is a possibility of encountering blood or body fluids, it is necessary to wear disposable gloves, which should be discarded after each use.
Here are the steps to follow when removing disposable gloves:
- Pinch the palm of one glove and pull away from the palm
- Push fingers of the pinching hand up inside the other glove, stretching glove material towards the cuff of the other glove until it emerges by the wrist
- Pull the fold-down until the glove is almost off (you will be pulling the glove inside-out)
- DO NOT take the glove completely off
- Hook the ungloved thumb between the wrist and the skin of the other gloved hand and pull down, pulling both gloves off (both gloves will now be inside out)
- Dispose of the gloves properly
Removing Gloves Properly and Safely Technique | How to Remove Gloves
Disposable aprons are worn to prevent contamination of clothing from blood or body fluids and are especially necessary when there is a known infection. If there is a risk of splashing of contagious infection, it is recommended to wear face masks to protect the nose and mouth.
To ensure proper infection control, it’s important to know the different types of infections and how they spread. Some infections can be spread through contact with bodily fluids, while others are spread through the air.
Microorganisms, also known as germs, are living things that are too small to be seen without a microscope. This is why it’s crucial to thoroughly wash your hands to prevent the spread of these germs.
Pathogenic organisms can cause infections and lead to various diseases. Therefore, to avoid infections, it’s important to take measures to prevent exposure to microorganisms.
Remember: MICROORGAMISMS ARE FOUND EVERYWHERE
Understanding how infections are transmitted can help you take appropriate precautions to prevent their spread.
Always follow the specific precautionary protocol provided by your agency or client. Proper hygiene and infection preventive and control measures can help ensure the health and well-being of your clients, and it’s an essential part of your role as a home care aide.
