Overview:

The transmission of infectious agents is a serious occurrence that has happened in many healthcare environments, including medical offices and clinics.

Every health care professional has the responsibility not only to ensure that the patients they care for are protected from infection but also to monitor the infection control practices of those they supervise and intervene if necessary to ensure compliance and safety. The importance of this responsibility cannot be over-emphasized. Failure to employ accepted infection control measures not only increases the risk of adverse patient outcomes, but formal charges of unprofessional conduct and other legal liabilities, including malpractice, may be filed.

To help you increase your awareness of your professional responsibility with regards to infection prevention and control, this program explains the six links in the Chain of Infection and presents three cases for analysis following the Chain of Infection. As each case is presented, you will be asked to identify the possible source of infection, the means of transmission and suggest what steps might have been taken to prevent transmission.