Infection Prevention & Control in Disability SupportCOURSE OVERVIEW: Welcome to the course Infection Prevention & Control in Disability Support. This program is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively prevent and control infections within disability support settings. By the end of this course, you will have a thorough understanding of infection control principles, legal requirements, and practical strategies to ensure the safety and well being of clients and staff.

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the course Infection Prevention & Control in Disability Support. This program is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively prevent and control infections within disability support settings. By the end of this course, you will have a thorough understanding of infection control principles, legal requirements, and practical strategies to ensure the safety and well-being of clients and staff.

We begin with an introduction to infection prevention and control, providing an overview of fundamental principles and highlighting the critical importance of infection control in the disability support sector. You will learn why stringent infection control measures are essential to protect vulnerable populations.

Legal and regulatory requirements are the backbone of effective infection control practices. This section covers Australian standards and guidelines, the requirements of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, and workplace health and safety obligations that you must adhere to in your role.

Understanding infections is crucial for effective prevention and control. This section explores different types of infections, such as bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections, and explains common infections found in disability support settings. You will also learn about various transmission routes and how infections spread.

Infection control policies and procedures form the foundation of a safe working environment. You will learn how to develop and implement robust policies, regularly review and update procedures, and ensure staff receive adequate training and education on infection control practices.

Identifying infection risks in disability care involves recognising common risks and assessing vulnerabilities in clients. This section covers environmental and situational risk factors and provides strategies for implementing risk mitigation measures to prevent infections.

Hand hygiene practices are a cornerstone of infection prevention. You will learn about the importance of hand hygiene, techniques for effective hand washing, and the proper use of hand sanitisers to minimise the risk of infection transmission.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is vital for protecting both clients and staff. This section covers the types of PPE, including gloves, masks, and gowns, and provides guidance on their correct use and disposal in different scenarios.

Applying standard infection precautions in daily care is essential for maintaining a clean and safe environment. You will learn about cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and managing contaminated waste to prevent the spread of infections.

Environmental cleaning and maintenance are critical for infection control. This section covers cleaning schedules, disinfection of high-touch surfaces, and maintenance of equipment and facilities to ensure a hygienic environment.

Handling body fluids and sharps requires specific procedures to prevent exposure to infectious agents. You will learn about the safe handling of body fluids, proper sharps disposal procedures, and post-exposure protocols to manage potential infections.

Responding effectively to infection risk situations involves immediate and coordinated action. This section covers immediate response protocols, coordinating with healthcare providers, and documenting and reporting incidents to manage infection risks promptly.

Reporting situations needing extra precautions in disability care is vital for maintaining safety. You will learn to identify high-risk situations, communicate effectively with supervisors and healthcare teams, and ensure proper documentation and follow-up.

Using precautions for effective infection control includes isolation techniques, quarantine procedures, enhanced cleaning protocols, and the use of additional PPE and safety measures to manage high-risk situations.

Vaccination and immunisation are essential for preventing infectious diseases. This section covers recommended vaccinations for disability support workers, vaccination schedules, record-keeping, and promoting vaccination among clients.

Managing infectious disease outbreaks requires a coordinated approach. You will learn about outbreak identification and reporting, isolation and quarantine procedures, and effective communication and coordination during outbreaks to control and prevent the spread of infections.

Infection control in residential settings focuses on preventing infections in shared living spaces, managing outbreaks, and providing support for residents and their families. This section ensures you are equipped to handle infection control in these environments effectively.

Infection control in community settings includes protocols for home visits, infection control in day programs, and safely transporting clients. You will learn best practices for maintaining infection control standards in various community-based scenarios.

Continuous improvement in infection control is essential for maintaining high standards. This section covers monitoring and evaluating infection control practices, reporting and analysing data, and implementing improvements and best practices to ensure ongoing effectiveness.

By the end of this course, you will be well-prepared to implement and maintain rigorous infection prevention and control measures, ensuring a safe and healthy environment for both clients and staff in disability support settings.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

1. Introduction to Infection Prevention and Control

• Overview of Infection Control Principles
• Importance of Infection Control in Disability Support

2. Legal and Regulatory Requirements

• Australian Standards and Guidelines
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Requirements
• Workplace Health and Safety Obligations

3. Understanding Infections

• Types of Infections
• Common Infections in Disability Support Settings
• Transmission Routes

4. Infection Control Policies and Procedures

• Developing and Implementing Policies
• Reviewing and Updating Procedures
• Staff Training and Education

5. Identify Infection Risks in Disability Care

• Identifying Infection Risks
• Recognising Common Infection Risks
• Assessing Vulnerabilities in Clients
• Environmental and Situational Risk Factors
• Implementing Risk Mitigation Strategies

6. Hand Hygiene Practices

• Importance of Hand Hygiene
• Techniques for Effective Hand Washing
• Use of Hand Sanitisers

7. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Types of PPE
• Correct Use and Disposal of PPE
• PPE in Different Scenarios

8. Apply Standard Infection Precautions in Daily Care

• Cleaning Protocols
• Disinfection Techniques
• Managing Contaminated Waste

9. Environmental Cleaning and Maintenance

• Cleaning Schedules
• Disinfection of High-Touch Surfaces
• Maintenance of Equipment and Facilities

10. Handling Body Fluids and Sharps

• Safe Handling of Body Fluids
• Sharps Disposal Procedures
• Post-Exposure Protocols

11. Respond Effectively to Infection Risk Situations

• Immediate Response Protocols
• Coordinating with Healthcare Providers
• Documenting and Reporting Incidents

12. Report Situations Needing Extra Precautions in Disability Care

• Identifying High-Risk Situations
• Communicating with Supervisors and Healthcare Teams
• Documentation and Follow-Up

13. Use Precautions for Effective Infection Control

• Isolation Techniques and Quarantine Procedures
• Enhanced Cleaning Protocols
• Use of Additional PPE and Safety Measures

14. Vaccination and Immunisation

• Recommended Vaccinations for Disability Support Workers
• Vaccination Schedules and Record Keeping
• Promoting Vaccination Among Clients

15. Managing Infectious Disease Outbreaks

• Outbreak Identification and Reporting
• Isolation and Quarantine Procedures
• Communication and Coordination During Outbreaks

16. Infection Control in Residential Settings

• Preventing Infections in Shared Living Spaces
• Managing Outbreaks in Residential Facilities
• Support for Residents and Families

17. Infection Control in Community Settings

• Protocols for Home Visits
• Infection Control in Day Programs
• Transporting Clients Safely

18. Continuous Improvement in Infection Control

• Monitoring and Evaluating Infection Control Practices
• Reporting and Analysing Infection Control Data
• Implementing Improvements and Best Practices

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.