The Infection Prevention Society and the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene have undertaken a revision of the IFH/IPS training/self learning resource: “Home Hygiene: Prevention of Infection at home - a training resource for carers and their trainers” which has been in widespread use since 2003.
The content (i.e. hygiene advice etc) remains much the same, but the resource has been revised in line with current methods of learning. The section on home healthcare has been extended to include new topics. The resource also addresses issues such as how to protect against infection whilst sustaining exposure to our microbial world
The resource is designed for teaching or self-learning. It aims to show that home and everyday life hygiene is simple and logical. It scopes and explains the principles and practice hygiene in home and everyday life (infection prevention) in simple practical language which can be understood by those working in the community, many of whom are likely to have little background knowledge in hygiene.
The resource gives guidance on what, when, and how to prevent infection and cross-infection in the home, using a targeted hygiene approach. It is aimed primarily at health professionals, home carers and family members who care for relatives in the home. It comprises a number of sections. Within each section there are a number of modules each dealing with a comprehensive range of topics:
Section 1. Understanding hygiene in home & everyday life
Module 1: Breaking the chain of infection through targeted hygiene
2. Putting hygiene into practice
Module 2: Hand hygiene
Module 3: Respiratory hygiene
Module 4: Food hygiene
Module 5: General environmental hygiene
Module 6: Waste disposal
3. Where there is more risk – hygiene in home healthcare
Module 7: Where there is more risk of infection
Module 8: People who are infected and pose a risk to others
Module 9: Protective clothing and gloves
Other Issues
Module 10: Tackling antibiotic resistance: role of hygiene
Module 11: Disinfectants and antibacterials explained
Module 12: Disinfectants and resistance to antimicrobials
Module 13: Are we too clean? Developing a healthy relationship with our microbial world
Module 14: Fact and fiction about hygiene
This resource is downloadable from the IFH website and the IPS website This training resource was prepared by a joint working group of the IFH and IPS. It can be prointed in hard copy – or studied online.
We have also produced a separate "slide deck" of the hygiene advice sheets from the resource. This can be used either for powerpoint group presentations, or for printing (either in whole or in part) handouts for distribution to those who you are training - or to leave behind with family members.
COMING SOON: We are also in the process of producing an interactive online version of this resource.
