Healthy environment

Maintaining a Healthy Environment

Evidence 1: For this piece of evidence, you will need a broad understanding of how the different types of disease causing microorganism can be transmitted. This will help you understand the potential sources of infecetion in your working area.

Laboratory acquired infections are a result of exposure to an infectious agent (microorganism) such as:

Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi
Parasites

The most common modes (routes) of spread in the laboratory are due to:

Inhalation (aerosols)
Inoculation (sharps, cuts etc.)
Contact (hands or surfaces)
Ingestion (smoking, eating)

Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) blocks many potential routes of exposure.

Obviously there has to be a source from where the infection came from before it can be passed on via the above 4 routes to infect others. Common sources of infection in the laboratory could include:

Laboratory samples (e.g. leaking highly infectious blood samples)
Environment (e.g. poorly cleaned work benches)
Other staff and visitors (e.g. cold or flu)
Equipment (poorly maintained or damaged)

Have a look around your workplace and try and identify 3 potential sources of infection (you may use the above examples) to complete the table below:

Evidence number 1: Potential sources of laboratory infection

Evidence 2: For this task we need to think of the ways we can help reduce the spread of infections in the hospital and laboratory workplaces i.e. infection control. You will be doing this as part of your role without even thinking about it.

Many of the principles adopted for infection control rely on what is termed ‘Standard infection control precautions’ and these include:

Using PPE
Hand washing
Safe management of equipment and workspaces (e.g. cleaning and disinfection)
Safe management of blood and body fluid spillages
Occupational safety: prevention management (e.g. inoculations)
Safe disposal of waste (including sharps)

Describe 2 ways of working (standard infection control precautions) that help minimise the spread of infection within the working environment.

Standard infection control precaution 1:

Give a brief description of the above:

Standard infection control precaution 2:

Give a brief description of the above:

Evidence 3: Provide 4 statements (and then describe each) on the different ways you routinely work in a safe way that does not put you and others at risk of infection – a paragraph for each.

As well as the standard infection control precautions mentioned above you may wish to think broader in terms of your own health and hygiene (e.g. food safety hygiene, cough etiquette, sick reporting, bathroom hygiene, cleaning your workspace etc.).

Statement 1: I ensure….

Give a brief description about the above statement:

Statement 2: I always….

Give a brief description about the above statement:

Statement 3: I am familiar….

Give a brief description about the above statement:

Statement 4: I help prevent ….

Give a brief description about the above statement:

The above are just example starts to some of the statements you could include (you may choose your own statements)

Sign off: After you have collected each piece of evidence, hand them into your trainer / mentor who will then countersign them. Please note that they may ask for additional evidence or ask you follow up questions. Also ensure that:

You have date and signed your work
You only submit evidence for checking once it is completed (you may take individual evidence pieces out of your portfolio)
Ensure any countersigned checked work is returned back (in order) to your portfolio

Try not to hand in multiple pieces of evidence for marking at once - this will create too much work for your trainer / mentor, instead spread submissions out throughout your training.

Trainer notes: Ensure the candidates line manager completes the 'Line Manager's Comments' section as each module in the portfolio is completed - continuous assessment of the candidates work is required throughout the training period.