KATIE ADULT DAY CENTER POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

SUBJECT: Infection Control Standard (Universal) Precautions

Reference: Recommended but not required
Document Number: 05-037.16
POLICY: Standard (universal) Precautions apply to all staff when working with
clients, regardless of the clients diagnosis or presumed infection status.
Standard (universal) Precautions are devised to reduce the risk of
transmission of microorganisms from both recognized and unrecognized
sources of infection.

PROCEDURE: Standard (universal) Precautions are used when coming in contact with
blood; body fluids, secretions, and excretions except sweat (regardless of
whether or not they contain visible blood); non-intact skin; and mucous
membranes.

Hand washing 1. Hand washing is crucial. Staff will wash hands:

after touching blood, body fluids, feces, or contaminated items
(regardless of whether or not gloves are worn)
before putting on gloves
immediately after gloves are removed
as necessary, between tasks and procedures on the same client to
prevent cross-contamination of different body sites, and
between all client contacts
More details included in specific hand-washing procedure.

Gloves 2. Staff will wear clean gloves when touching blood, body fluids, feces, non-
intact skin, mucus membranes, or contaminated items. Change gloves
between tasks and procedures on the same client after contact with
material that may contain a high concentration of microorganisms.
Remove gloves promptly after use, and was hands before touching non-
contaminated items, environmental surfaces, self, or other clients. Wash
hands after removing gloves.

Environmental 3. Staff will use care in handling client-care equipment or linen soiled with
Surfaces and
blood, body fluids, or feces in order to prevent skin and mucus membrane
Soiled Linens
exposure, contamination of clothing, and transfer of microorganisms to
other clients or environments. Ensure that reusable equipment (e.g.,
blood pressure cuffs, etc.) and environmental surfaces are appropriately

Katie Adult Day Center Policies and Procedures Manual 05-037.16

 cleaned and reprocessed prior to use on another client and that single-use
items are properly discarded.

Sharps 4. Staff will use sharps precautions to prevent injury from needles, razor
blades and other sharp-edged instruments. Sharps containers will be used
by staff for disposal of any sharps

[More information on bloodborne pathogens and needle sticks is available from

OSHA at
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/gen_guidance.html
and the CDC has a Workbook for Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating
a Sharps Injury Prevention Program at
http://www.cdc.gov/sharpssafety/pdf/sha rpsworkbook_2008.pdf].

Katie Adult Day Center Policies and Procedures Manual 05-037.16