Home > Career Options > Inside the World of Germs & Bacteria

Inside the World of Germs & Bacteria - Infection Control Nursing

In today's health conscious society most of us are somewhat aware of the troubles germs and bacteria can cause. But beyond cleaning the counter with Lysol® wipes after preparing the chicken, how much precaution do we really take?

Fortunately for us, someone has our back. It's the growing field of nurses who specialize in infection control. It's their job to identify, control and prevent outbreaks of infection in healthcare settings and the community.

Blame it on the Monkeys, Birds and Mosquitoes
We've all seen the movies where one little monkey wreaks havoc on half the United States spreading flesh-eating bacteria like it was the common cold. It's true that animals and insects are responsible for spreading many different types of illness - from West Nile to Lyme disease to the latest avian flu - but we can't put all the responsibility on them.

In fact, in the wake of natural disaster hurricane Katrina, Purdue University released an article stating that humans were more likely to spread disease than insects in the Gulf Region. It's circumstances like Katrina when the need for infection control (IC) nurses becomes obvious. With mass evacuations there is an unusual amount of interaction among strangers, which increases the threat of spreading diseases such as the measles, whooping cough, the common cold and the flu. IC nurses are the ones on the frontlines making sure we don't end up with an epidemic on our hands.

Planning the Demise of Infection Risk
Investigating and learning what type of risks you might be dealing with is just part of the job of an IC nurse. This requires collection and analysis of infection data. For instance, in the case of Katrina, specialists knew that during the first month or so after flooding, mosquitoborne illnesses such as West Nile present little problem because the waters actually destroyed most of the breeding areas. In addition, mosquitoes don't feed on dead bodies. Specialists also determined that diseases such as cholera, dysentery or malaria were unlikely to be a problem because they were not prevalent in the Golf Coast prior to the storm.

The next major responsibility of IC professionals is being prepared for the worst. Many areas across the United States have preparedness planning groups to deal with emergencies and bioterrorism. The Houston area's plan was put to the test after hurricane Katrina. Once the planes and buses started to arrive with the evacuees, a whirlwind of preparations and procedures unfolded. The first step was screening each individual as they arrived for contagious diseases - tuberculosis and diarrhea were major concerns.

Some groups plan for years and fortunately, never have to put their strategy to work. But as the events in Houston demonstrated, often it's the basics that save lives. Experts involved in the whole Katrina ordeal could not emphasize enough the importance of ensuring each and every evacuee - and the staff and volunteers - received alcohol hand gels. This one item was key in making sure there was little exposure of infection and disease to the outside community. Other supplies that were beneficial in establishing contact isolation were gloves and masks. And lastly, there were simple education sheets to inform volunteers and rescue workers on necessary procedures.

Knowing is Half the Battle
Preparedness for any type of emergency event will never be 100 percent, but measures can be taken to ease the chaos when proper planning is in place. Communication and knowledge is incredibly important. You must also be flexible and able to adapt to the unexpected, not to mention remember the basics. Below are ten tips for preventing the spread of infection.

1. Wash your hands frequently-especially before preparing food, before eating, and after using the restroom. Insist that your healthcare providers wash their hands and use gloves.
2. Don't insist that your physician give you antibiotics if you don't need them. Antibiotics have no effect on illnesses caused by viruses.
3. Take prescribed antibiotics exactly as instructed; do not stop taking them without checking with your physician, even if the medicine makes you feel better - or worse.
4. Keep your immunizations up to date.
5. Follow safe sexual practices.
6. Don't send your child to a day care center or to a school with symptoms of an infection - such as vomiting, diarrhea, and/or fever.
7. Do not use I.V. drugs; if you do, do not share needles.
8. Don't share personal items - such as razor blades, tooth brushes, combs, and hairbrushes-and don't eat or drink from others' plates or glasses.
9. Keep kitchen surfaces clean, especially when preparing meat, chicken, and fish; disinfect kitchen surfaces.
10. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, especially when they will be left out for a long time.