Manual for Male Circumcision under Local Anaesthesia

Male circumcision under local anaesthesia
Version 3.1 (Dec09)
STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
Standard precautions are a set of practices to prevent and control infection.
They include the use of personal protective equipment, designed to protect
health care workers and patients from contact with infectious agents.
Laboratory and health care workers can protect themselves and their patients
from exposure to HIV and other infections by following standard precautions.
Often, during clinical care, it is not known whether a patient is infected or
colonized with potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Every patient, and
every member of staff, should therefore be considered at risk, both of
infecting others and of acquiring an infection. Standard precautions should be
applied during all contact between health care workers and patients, in all
health care facilities at all times.
The key components of standard precautions are:
• hand washing and antisepsis (hand hygiene);
• use of personal protective equipment when handling blood, blood
products, body fluids or excretions, mucous membranes, non-intact
skin, or wound dressings;
• prevention of needle-stick and sharp injuries;
• appropriate handling of patient care equipment, environmental
cleaning and management of spills;
• appropriate handling of waste.
Each of these components is discussed in detail below.
HAND HYGIENE
Hand hygiene is the single most important and cost-effective measure to
eliminate disease-causing microorganisms that contaminate hands, and to
limit the spread of infection. Proper hand hygiene can be accomplished by
frequent hand washing and frequent use of an alcohol-based handrub.
In most clinical situations, an alcohol-based handrub should be used for
routine hand antisepsis. Commercial handrubs, liquid soaps and skin-care
products are sold in disposable containers, and may be used provided they
meet recognized international standards (such as those of the American
Society for Testing and Materials or the European Committee for
Standardization), and are well accepted by health care workers. Where such
products are not available or are too costly, an alcohol-based handrub can be
produced locally at low cost. 2
Prevention of Infection Chapter 8-3