27 Important Things Infection Control Aims to Achieve

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Infection control was devised by the United States Department of Health to protect and benefit the people working in the healthcare sector. Those who work in the healthcare sector constantly risk their lives to make us better. In the process, they can contract illnesses and infections if they do not take the right precautions. Thus infection control aims at educating and cautioning doctors, nurses, laboratory personnel, paramedics and all the others who work with the sick in the healthcare industry about how to make sure they do not contract the infections.

The infection control training not only promotes health amongst healthcare professionals but also encourages safe healthcare practice in general. This training focuses on:

• Explaining to healthcare workers and staff the benefits of accepting certain scientifically proven principles related to infection control.

• Explaining the responsibility of the professional to accept and practice certain proven scientific principles related to infection control.

• Explaining the consequences of not practicing safe infection controlling techniques to the healthcare professionals.

• Describing the responsibility of the healthcare worker to monitor the infection control practices in place.

• Explaining to the professional on how he is expected to interfere and explain to a fellow worker in case the precautions are not being taken or the safe practices are not being adhered to.

• Explaining how pathogens and microorganisms infect sterile environments.

• Identifying the outcome in case of exposure to microorganisms and pathogens.

• Listing strategies to prevent the transmission of pathogens and microorganisms.

• Describing how infection control concepts will be applied in practice.

• Defining and understanding "engineering controls" and "work practice controls".

• Identifying where "engineering controls" and "work practice controls" have to be applied. The difference between them is explained.

• Describing the methods of prevention of bloodborne pathogens and how the contamination can be avoided.

• Identifying strategies to prevent exposure.

• Describing situations and safe practices that minimize exposure to patients and healthcare workers.

• Describing situations and unsafe practices that maximize exposure to patients and healthcare workers.

• Describing the importance of barriers and personal protective gear and equipment when handling a potentially dangerous material.

• Identifying barriers and personal protective gear and equipment to be used when handling a potentially dangerous material.

• Discussing the importance of correct and accurate applications during times of emergency.

• Defining the terms "disinfection", "sterilization" and "cleaning".

• Describing and explaining the three levels of disinfection.

• Differentiating between "critical", "semi-critical" and "non-critical" medical devices.

• Identifying professional responsibility in maintaining safe standards.

• Identifying and understanding the importance of cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing material, instruments and devices.

• Discussing the role of health strategies to protect healthcare workers.

• Explaining the importance evaluation and investigation in case of non specific findings during investigations.

• Identifying the strategies to prevent the spread of bloodborne diseases.

• Identifying resources in case of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV transmission.

Infection control workshops are held regularly for health care workers. These workshops and other similar classes are useful for not just promoting a safe healthcare environment but safe personal health as well. Find them online and off.

For more information, please visit our infection control training website.

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How to Achieve Steady Weight Loss Postpartum

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During pregnancy it's very important to eat well for yourself and your baby. Your body naturally builds up stores of fat to help you provide healthy breastmilk to your baby after birth. Weight will often come off effortlessly over your baby's first year just from breastfeeding. Many moms, however, want to have their bodies feeling "normal" and their clothes fitting a little faster than will happen just with breastfeeding! Here's how to achieve a steady weight loss postpartum.

Wait on the Weight - Just a Little

You should give your body a chance to heal before you start trying to lose any weight. You'll probably be happy to see that you lose a good amount of weight right after your baby's birth. You lose the weight from the baby and from the amniotic fluid. You also lose a lot of "water weight" from extra fluids and the higher blood volume you have at the end of pregnancy. But you may want to lose even more weight than that.

Again, give yourself a chance to heal. Doing too much, too fast can prolong your postpartum bleeding (call lochia). That's your body's way of telling you that you're doing too much. You can do some gentle, seated exercises like Kegels or Tupler abdominal contractions in the early weeks. You can also start to take low-key walks as soon as you feel able to. But wait until your six-week appointment to start anything more ambitious. If you're breastfeeding it's a good idea to give yourself about eight weeks -- this gives your milk supply a chance to become well-established.

Start With Diet

Your diet is going to make the biggest difference on your baby's weight gain. Our bodies were designed to eat certain foods: animal products (meat and animal fats) and natural vegetables along with some fruits. Grains are newer in the history of humanity, and the grains we eat today are far different than those eaten in the past. Extremely high carbohydrate food signals to your body it's time to store fat.

You want to watch what you eat. Eat nutrient-dense foods. Avoid high-carbohydrate foods. It's hard, especially when you're a tired mom of a young baby. It's much easier to grab a few crackers than to pick something else. But try to. Pick cheese or some nuts to snack on, both of which contain healthy fat.

You do not want to eat a low-fat diet. Not only do low-fat diets not work (period!), they also rob your baby of vital fats he or she needs to grow brain tissue. Your baby's brain literally starves without the good fats in your diet creating creamy milk to feed it. Low-fat diets and skyrocketing rates of learning disabilities go hand-in-hand.

Choose instead a lower carbohydrate diet. This will help you lose weight -- it may be slowly, but it will be surely. If you don't see results at first, don't worry. Your body is nourishing a baby and it may take time for it to start mobilizing the stores it thinks it needs for that job.

Do not starve yourself counting calories. Keep a reasonable calorie level for nursing your baby. You shouldn't feel like you're weak or starving. Restricting calories too much will cause your body to go into starvation mode, slowing your metabolism.

Add in Exercise

Add in an exercise routine gradually as you are able. As I said above, walking is the best way to start. It's low-key and can easily be scaled up to more challenging hikes. Your baby can ride along in a carrier. It's perfect!

You can also start to work in an exercise routine at home. Some moms are really motivated by a gym or class, and if this is for you, go for it. But you can have an effective routine at home, too. Pick up some basic weights, such as a 5 pound, 8 pound, and 10 pound dumbbell set. Use those for some arm routines. Add in some basic bodyweight exercises like push-ups (you can do knee push-ups) and squats. Go slowly and do these in shorter sets and with support at first if you need to. As you get into a regular routine you will start to feel more and more like yourself.

A Final Tip

Watch your waistline. It can feel really frustrating to see that the scale is not moving. But sometimes muscles that weakened and lost tone during pregnancy build back up and strengthen as you do an exercise routine. This means that you burn fat padding away, but build some muscle weight. You may see and feel your waistline slim down before the scale reports a loss. Keep up your new, natural diet and your enjoyable fitness routine and eventually the scale will catch up with you!

By the way, do you want to get more practical baby care information that will give you keys to a smarter, happier baby while building a strong bond with your little one?

If so, download my free guide: How to Have a Smarter, Happier Baby

You'll get my guide and information packed with helpful tips on baby care and on managing life as a mom (and loving it!)