Journal of Infectious Diseases & Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: Patient Safety and Quality Patient Care is the ultimate goal of patient care in any healthcare facility. Infection Prevention and Control is the epicenter of Patient Care Delivery, therefore the Infection Control Programme in Healthcare Settings must include the IC Risk Assessment policy which must be proactively done to prevent infections and outbreaks, by assessing the potential risks which may disrupt the IC efforts. Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA): Infection Prevention and Control (PCI) Risk Assessment describes the Infection risks which is unique to the institution. This Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) will help the institution to assess the Complexity of the Risk identified and the possible actions to reduce the effects of the risk. The risk scoring will help determine the severity of the risk and the prioritization of each risk identified. Risk assessment is an ongoing process because infection risk changes overtime and at times rapidly. An infection control risk assessment must consider different elements before establishing IPC policies and procedures, goals and objectives. A written, hospital wide comprehensive risk assessment plan is essential in any healthcare organization because it is a first step in a systematic process to create and implement PCI Plan. Infection Control Risk Assessment Plan: The Healthcare Accreditation bodies (viz. JCIA ΓΆΒ?Β? Standard PCI.7) has included the ICRA as a requirement for written risk assessments documenting how the healthcare facility is prioritizing patient and healthcare worker safety. The PCI Risk Assessment will be done by the Multidisciplinary Team members which may include representation from Infection Control , Environmental Health and Safety( EH&S) , Facilities & Engineering and Continuous Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (CQI&PS). The infection control committee members will review and approve the facility wide PCI Risk Assessment and the PCI programme Plan for the set year. The documents will include the following: assessment of risk, assessment of services provided, and assessment of the population served, prioritized strategies to decrease the risk, PCI Plan for the set year. The plan is formally reviewed at least annually and whenever significant changes occur in the elements that affects risk.

Biography

Zarina Bee Nazeer has completed her Diploma in Nursing (General, Psychiatric, Community) and Midwifery from Natal College of Nursing, R K Khan Campus Durban South Africa. She has passed the SAMTRAC course by NOSA, safety management and training cum laude in 2001. She has completed the Infection Prevention and Control Course in 2011 at Netcare Nursing Academy in Durban South Africa. She has more than 28 years of experience in the healthcare setting. She is currently the Infection Control Coordinator at AFHSR in Khamis Mushayt KSA. She has been a speaker on infection control topics locally and internationally. She is a presentor at AFHSR IC Mandatory Training course for all staff. She has coordinated, co-directed and facilitated IC educational activities and has been extensively involved in major infection control activities, projects and programs for the past 15 years, including commissioning of new facilities, developing surveillance programs and evaluating IC programs. She is an active team player and has been instrumental in the Infection Control Service element for JCIA at AFHSR. The hospital has successfully passed the Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCIA February 2017).