Section 246-320-176. Infection control program.  


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  • The purpose of this section is to identify and reduce the risk of acquiring and transmitting infections and communicable diseases between patients, employees, medical staff, volunteers, and visitors.
    Hospitals must:
    (1) Develop, implement and maintain a written infection control and surveillance program;
    (2) Designate staff to:
    (a) Manage the activities of the infection control program;
    (b) Assure the infection control program conforms with patient care and safety policies and procedures; and
    (c) Provide consultation on the infection control program, policies and procedures throughout the entire facility;
    (3) Ensure staff managing the infection control program have:
    (a) A minimum of two years experience in a health related field; and
    (b) Training in the principles and practices of infection control;
    (4) Develop and implement infection control policies and procedures consistent with the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other nationally recognized professional bodies or organizations;
    (5) Assure the infection control policies and procedures address, but are not limited to the following:
    (a) Routine surveillance, outbreak investigations and interventions including pathogen distributions and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles consistent with the 2006 CDC Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee Guideline, Management of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Healthcare Settings;
    (b) Patient care practices in all clinical care areas;
    (c) Receipt, use, disposal, processing, or reuse of equipment to prevent disease transmission;
    (d) Preventing cross contamination of soiled and clean items during sorting, processing, transporting, and storage;
    (e) Environmental management and housekeeping functions;
    (f) Approving and properly using disinfectants, equipment, and sanitation procedures;
    (g) Cleaning areas used for surgical procedures before, between, and after use;
    (h) Hospital-wide daily and periodic cleaning;
    (i) Occupational health consistent with current practice;
    (j) Attire;
    (k) Traffic patterns;
    (l) Antisepsis;
    (m) Handwashing;
    (n) Scrub technique and surgical preparation;
    (o) Biohazardous waste management according to applicable federal, state, and local regulations;
    (p) Barrier and transmission precautions; and
    (q) Pharmacy and therapeutics;
    (6) Establish and implement a plan for:
    (a) Reporting communicable diseases according to chapter 246-100 WAC; and
    (b) Surveying and investigating communicable disease occurrences in the hospital consistent with WAC 246-320-171;
    (7) Hospitals may develop and implement infection control policies and procedures specific to a patient care area.
    [Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.41 RCW and RCW 43.70.040. WSR 09-07-050, § 246-320-176, filed 3/11/09, effective 4/11/09.]
Chapter 70.41 RCW and RCW 43.70.040. WSR 09-07-050, § 246-320-176, filed 3/11/09, effective 4/11/09.

Rules

246-100,246-320-171,