The Important Role Of The Infection Control Practitioner In Clinical Settings

In light of recent incidences of SARS and bird flu as well as re-emergences of VRE and MRSA, the role of an Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) is more important than ever. Practically all medical facilities have a responsibility to report infections as well as have procedures in place to prevent and isolate infections too. In most cases, a physician, medical technologist, registered nurse or even an epidemiologist serves as an Infection Control Practitioner.

The Role of an Infection Control Practitioner

One of the primary roles of an Infection Control Practitioner is to help prevent infections acquired once hospitalized. There is always a danger of secondary infections that have nothing to do with the primary reason why patients are in the hospital. An ICP’s primary concern is how to keep these healthcare-acquired infections at bay. Of course, they also have many other roles to fill as well in their role as an Infection Control Practitioner, such as:

1. Clinical Consultant – ICPs must manage the treatment of infectious patients as well as see to the practice and standard of clinical care which includes beds, surgical procedures, hygiene, managing outbreaks and protecting staff from infection.
2. Management Consultant – Part of an ICPs job is to advise housekeeping and food staff proper ways of avoiding and spreading infection. They must also oversee waste management, volunteers and even reconstruction and repairs of the clinical area.
3. Creation and Evaluation of Infection Control Guidelines – Infection Control Practitioners must create a manual of guidelines pertaining to infection control that must be constantly maintained and updated as new situations arise.
4. Product Testing – ICPs often work with hospital buyers to seek out products that can help with the prevention of infection. In addition, when equipment is the cause of infection, ICPs investigate the cause as well as oversee repairs and decontamination as needed.
5. Observation – The Infection Control Practitioner constantly inspects and makes clinical round to help prevent the spread of infection as well as help identify early infectious outbreaks and isolate them.
6. Education – ICPs provide educational talks about the prevention of spreading infection to not only patients and medical staff but also the general public like school kids, local organizations and the government.
7. Auditing Duties – Infection Control Practitioners often assess existing policies and guidelines to ensure that they are being followed as well as look for ways to improve preventative measures. Everything from hand hygiene to disposing needles to decontamination is audited.
8. Continuing Education – A good ICP always researches for new ways to improve guidelines to ensure that infection prevention and isolation practices are in place. An Infection Control Practitioner also researches new products and tries new things to prevent infection.

As you can see, the role of an Infection Control Practitioner is rather involved and very important. Because healthcare-acquired infections have risen in the US, a hospital’s overall rate of infection is becoming the measuring standard of how well a hospital runs and how effective they are. Therefore, the ICP’s role has continued to grow and become more prominent.

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