MEMO: #105
TO:
All Caregivers
FROM:
David Porter
DATE:
December 1, 2004
RE:
Infection Control in the Home
As a PSW or a caregiver in our client’s home you share the responsibility for preventing the
spread of disease and infection by using aseptic techniques (preventing conditions that allow
pathogens to live, multiply, and spread). The main purposes for medical asepsis are:
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Helping the care recipient overcome a current infection or preventing the spread of that
infection.
Protecting the care recipient against a second infection by the same microorganism. This is
called re-infection.
Protecting the care recipient against infection by a new or different type of microorganism
from a visitor or member of the health care team. This is called cross-infection.
Protecting the family and health care team against infection by microorganisms passed
from caregiver to care recipient, and care recipient to caregiver. Diseases that can be
passed from person to person are called communicable diseases.
Protecting the care recipient from infection from his/her own organisms. This is called
self-inoculation.
One-way to control the spread of disease is to have a clean area in the house and a dirty one.
The kitchen is considered clean, and the toilet is considered dirty – or the area of dishwashing
is considered clean, and the area of toileting is considered dirty.
Clean: This means uncontaminated. It refers to those articles and places from which disease
cannot be spread. Clean areas contain food, dishes, and clean equipment. No waste material is
ever brought into this area.
Dirty: This refers to those areas that have come in contact with disease-causing or carrying
agents. In the home, there are different degrees of dirty. We make a distinction between being
dirty with human waste, such as wound drainage or fecal matter, and bed sheets that are
soiled. Articles that are dirty with potentially infectious material are brought into the dirty area
for initial cleaning or disposal. This could be linen, bath water, or equipment. Articles that are
only soiled are cleaned in the usual way.
Microorganisms are in many places:
 In the air we breathe
 On our bodies
 In our bodies
 On our clothing
 In liquids
 In food
 On animals
 In human waste
 In animal waste
Microorganisms are spread in many ways:
 Touching secretions, urine, feces
 Touching objects: dishes, bed linen, clothing, instruments, and belongings
 Sneezing, coughing, and talking
 Contaminated food, drugs, water, and blood
 Dust particles and moisture in the air
Washing your hands frequently with a lot of soap and friction is the best way to prevent the
transfer of microorganisms.
David Porter, CSA