Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a practical, evidence-based approach preventing patients and health workers from being harmed by avoidable infections.
To ensure safety, standard infection control precautions (SICPs) are to be used by all workers for all people whether infection is known to be present or not. SICPs are the basic IPC measures necessary to reduce the risk of spreading pathogens.
These basic IPC measures are:
- hand hygiene
- respiratory and cough hygiene
- PPE
- safe management of care equipment
- safe management of the environment
- management of blood and body fluid spills
- waste management
- management of exposure