PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF INFECTION CONTROL

NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS POSE A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE FOR OUR NATION. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SEVERE MORBIDITY AND OVER 20,000 DEATHS PER YEAR. THEY PLACE A STRAIN ON THEFINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES OF HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS. IT IS THE INFECTION CONTROL PRACTITIONER (ICP) WHO MUST IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. TO PRODUCE A QUALITY INFECTION CONTROL PROGRAM, AN ICP MUST BE PROFICIENT IN A NUMBER OF DISCIPLINES, AND MUST BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THE ESSENTIALS OF INFECTION CONTROL TO OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. THIS IS A TIME-CONSUMING TASK FOR AN ALREADY OVERBURDENED INDIVIDUAL. THE PROPOSED INFECTION CONTROL PACKET WOULD INCLUDE AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SLIDES WHICH WILL COMPLEMENT AN INFECTION CONTROL TOPIC OUTLINE. PHASE I WOULD DEVELOP THE TOPIC: INFECTION CONTROL IN RESPIRATORY THERAPY. PHASE II WOULD DEVELOP ELEVEN ADDITIONAL INFECTION CONTROL TOPICS. THE PHASE I AND II INFECTION CONTROL PACKETS WILL BE ABLE TOBE UTILIZED ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, AND WILL SERVE AS AN AID AND A GUIDE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LECTURE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS GIVEN BY ICP'S. THESE PRODUCTS WILL MEET AN ALREADY PRESSING DEMAND IN HOSPITALS, EXTENDED CARE FACILITIES, AND DAY CARE CENTERS.