Sunday 19 October to Saturday 25 October is International Infection Prevention Week.
International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) is an international event highlighting how we can protect our health through reducing infection. This awareness week provides an opportunity to emphasise the importance of effective infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, including vaccinations, throughout our health service. Keeping up to date with vaccinations is an important element of keeping ourselves, our colleagues and our patients safe from serious illness such as flu.
“International Infection Prevention Week highlights the importance of infection prevention and the actions we can all take to reduce infection. Our focus is on supporting the diverse range of staff who work to protect the health of patients in our services across the country. Significant resources and training modules are available on the AMRIC hub of HSeLanD for staff to access.
Hand hygiene training has always been a fundamental part of IPC training. It is significant however that hand hygiene training is now mandatory for all HSE staff and staff in HSE funded services. Good hand hygiene is the single most important way to help prevent the spread of infection. This comprehensive e-learning training will support staff in their work and further raise the awareness amongst all staff of why good hand hygiene is so important at work and in our day to day lives.”
Mandatory eLearning module on HSeLanD
The mandatory training programme involves completing an eLearning module on the AMRIC hub of HSeLanD. The training is aligned with the National Clinical Guideline No. 30 on Infection Prevention and Control. This is the Irish guidance for all health and social care staff which underpins all of our IPC work. All staff are required to complete the training module and undertake refresher training every two years.
Help protect yourself and your family from an infection or superbug
Wash your hands properly and often, especially:
- after coughing or sneezing
- before and after preparing food and eating
- after using the toilet or changing a nappy
- before and after visiting someone in a hospital or residential setting
- if you were in contact with someone who has a fever or respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing) or COVID-19
- before and after being in a crowd (especially an indoor crowd)
- getting home from being out and about or at work, especially if your work involves a lot of contact with people or animals
- after touching animals or animal waste
Have you washed your hands properly?
Get more information
Access the mandatory ‘hand hygiene’ training for staff on HSeLanD