Infection Control Monitoring for Non-Acute Settings

We developed resources and weblinks for healthcare providers who work and practice in rural hospitals, community and other non-acute settings.

Infection Prevention and Control Assessments

These tools were developed to assess facilities, equipment and processes that allow safe infection control practices to occur.  These tools are designed to be routinely incorporated into quality improvement programs.  They can be used in a variety of healthcare settings to assess:

• Hand hygiene infrastructure
• Hand hygiene practice
• Aseptic technique
• Waste management
• Personal protective equipment
• Environmental cleaning
• Clinical rooms
• Community Health Centre vehicles
• Clinical bag - SMHS
• Clinical bag - Community Health Service.

Surveillance modules

We have developed surveillance modules for use in rural hospitals, residential and aged care facilities, community health and multi-purpose centres.

The surveillance modules include two types of surveillance:

Outcome surveillance - involves measuring healthcare associated adverse events

• Multi drug Resistant Organism Surveillance
• Bloodstream Infection Surveillance

Process surveillance - involves auditing practice against a certain standard, guideline or policy

• Gastroenteritis Management
• Influenza like illness management
• Indwelling Urinary Catheter Use
• Antimicrobial use for rural hospitals

Surveillance investigation and reporting sheet

The surveillance investigation and reporting sheet should be used to report on the outcomes of the surveillance done in your facility. Report any issues or gaps report to the DON/NUM or service manager.

Antimicrobial use surveillance module for rural hospitals (AUTasRH)

Antimicrobial use data can provide usage patterns and can be important for supporting antimicrobial containment and education strategies.

The aims of the TIPCU antimicrobial use surveillance are to:

• Quantify antimicrobial use within Tasmanian rural hospitals over a defined audit period.
• Assess the appropriateness of antimicrobial usage within Tasmanian rural hospitals in accordance with Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic Guidelines.

This surveillance module uses a patient level antimicrobial data collection method, which gives accurate information about antimicrobial use within a facility. Data collected includes patient demographics, rationale for treatment, drug name, dosage, duration of therapy, microbiological testing and documentation.

This surveillance is done in Tasmanian rural hospitals for one calendar month per annum.