Infection Control

Definition

Infection control refers to policies and procedures used to minimize the risk of spreading infections, especially in hospitals and health care facilities.

Purpose

The purpose of infection control is to reduce the occurrence of infectious diseases. These diseases are usually caused by bacteria or viruses and can be spread by human-to-human contact, animal-to-human contact, human contact with an infected surface, airborne transmission through tiny droplets of infectious agents suspended in the air, and, finally, by a common vehicle such as food or water.

Infection control in hospitals

Infections obtained in hospitals are also called nosocomial infections. They occur in approximately 5% of all hospital patients. This results in increased time spent in the hospital and, in some cases, death. There are many

[The entire page is 1560 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the: