References

Aziz AM Infection prevention and control: steps to take in your home. Nurs Resid Care. 2016; 18:(9)462-463 https://doi.org/10.12968/nrec.2016.18.9.462

Cousins G Role of environmental cleanliness and decontamination in care homes. Nurs Stand. 2014; 30:(19) https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.30.19.39.s42

Department of Health. Health Building Note 00-09: infection control in the built environment. 2013. https://tinyurl.com/y7gwg3my (accessed 20 October 2018)

Department of Health. The Health and Social Care Act 2008. Code of practice for the prevention and control of infection. 2015. https://tinyurl.com/ydchynp8 (accessed 13 December 2018)

Garvey MI, Winfield J, Wiley C Reduction in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonisation: impact of a screening and decolonisation programme. J Infect Prev. 2016; 17:(6)294-297 https://doi.org/10.1177/1757177416661406

Gould D, Drey N Student nurses' experiences of infection control during clinical placements. Am J Infect Control. 2013; 41:(9)760-763 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2013.01.025

Higginson R Infection control in the community. Br J Community Nurs. 2018; 23:(12)590-595 https://doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2018.23.12.590

Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Improving care in residential care homes: a literature review. 2008. https://tinyurl.com/yapuswx4 (accessed 13 December 2018)

Care homes for older people, 29th edn. 2018

Loveday HP, Wilson JA, Pratta RJ epic3: national evidence-based guidelines for preventing healthcare-associated infections in NHS hospitals in England. J Hosp Infect. 2014; 86:S1-70 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0195-6701(13)60012-2

Maharaj D, Lawton B, Garrett S Poor compliance with standard precautions against infections during minor surgical gynaecological procedures. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2012; 52:(3)262-265 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-828X.2012.01433.x

Nasa P, Juneja D, Singh O Severe sepsis and septic shock in the elderly: an overview. World J Crit Care Med. 2012; 1:(1)23-30 https://doi.org/10.5492/wjccm.v1.i1.23

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Infection control, prevention of healthcare-associated infection in primary and community care. 2012. https://tinyurl.com/kbjz3ob (accessed 17 December 2018)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Epic3 guidelines for preventing healthcare-associated infections. 2018a. https://tinyurl.com/ycw5g9qn (accessed 20 October 2018)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Helping to prevent infection: a quick guide for managers and staff in care homes. 2018b. http://tinyurl.com/y7xc6e2z (accessed 17 December 2018)

Pellowe C, Pratt R, Harper P Infection control: prevention of healthcare-associated infection in primary and community care. J Hosp Infect. 2003; 55:1-127

Ward D Microbiology and infection prevention and control for nursing students.London: Sage; 2016

Infection prevention in care homes: the role of community nurses

02 January 2019

Care of the Older Person

02 January 2019

Volume 24 · Issue 1

ISSN (print): 1462-4753

ISSN (online): 2052-2215

Abstract

Community nurses are often in the position of providing clinical services to residents in the care home sector. In doing so, they need to consider the factors that increase the risk of infection in these residents and how these might be addressed. They also need to be mindful of the collaborative approach required and any training needs of staff working there in relation to services they have provided.

According to the latest LaingBuisson survey (2018), there are 416 000 people over the age of 65 years living in care homes in the UK. As part of their registration requirements, care homes have to meet the standards set down by the Care Quality Commission, including those relating to infection prevention and control. Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations (2014) relates to people not receiving unsafe care and treatment and the prevention of avoidable harm and risk of harm. These standards also apply to community nurses who visit residents in care homes for clinical purposes, for example, for wound dressing, catheterisation and syringe driver management. A subsection of this regulation states that care providers are responsible for ‘assessing the risk of, and preventing, detecting and controlling the spread of, infections, including those that are healthcare associated’. It points people to the Code of Practice relating to the prevention and control of infection, which comes from the earlier mentioned Act (Department of Health (DH), 2015). This article aims to discuss the specific risks for infection in the care home setting and highlights the responsibilities of community nurses in assessing and minimising these risks in their interactions with this patient group.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Community Nursing and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for district and community nurses. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

Limited access to clinical or professional articles
New content and clinical newsletter updates each month

Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address

Infection

care homes

community nurses

collaboration

training