Infection Control
What does Pittwater Day Surgery do to reduce your infection risk?
Pittwater Day Surgery has programs in place to detect and prevent infections that are common within health care organisations. These staff education, regular audits, and responsible use of antibiotics. In addition, visitors are encouraged to use antiseptic hand rub located throughout our day surgery.
Infection indicators
One of the most effective ways to prevent infection spreading amongst patients is for all health professionals to wash their hands. Hand hygiene is conducted in accordance with the ‘five moments’ that is; before touching a patient; before a procedure; after a procedure; after touching a patient; and after touching a patient’s environment.
Pittwater Day Surgery participates in the National Hand Hygiene Initiative through Hand Hygiene Australia, and Hand hygiene audits are conducted three times per year.
Hand hygiene audits are based on the 5 MOMENTS and reported as the percentage of correct moments from all observed moments.
What can you do to reduce your risk?
At Pittwater Day Surgery we know that having a procedure can be stressful. We want to keep you safe, and the following information is intended to help you while you are a patient with us.
​
There are several ways you can assist in preventing an infection:
-
Always wash your hands after using the toilet or bedpan.
-
Wash or clean your hands before eating
-
Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor or staff caring for you, if they have washed their hands
-
Avoid touching your wound or devices such as your cannula.
-
Stop smoking before any surgery, as smoking increases the risk of infection
Antimicrobial Stewardship
Antimicrobial stewardship is the effort to measure and improve how antibiotics are prescribed by clinicians and used by patients in order to reduce antibiotic resistance.
All doctors at Pittwater Day Surgery actively participate in our Antimicrobial Stewardship program and follow best practice guidelines to ensure safe, appropriate, and effective use of antibiotic and antimicrobial drugs for our patients.
​
The goals of antimicrobial stewardship are to:
-
improve patient treatment outcomes,
-
use money wisely on medications, and
-
reduce the chances that using antimicrobials will lead to drug-resistant superbugs.
Antimicrobial stewardship programs work to accomplish these goals by:
-
Implementing strategies that reduce any unnecessary use of antimicrobials. This helps prevent overuse.
-
Promoting use of the most targeted antimicrobials to effectively treat the infection. More targeted drugs are less likely to lead to superbugs.
-
Aligning antimicrobial use with established treatment guidelines for different types of infections. This follows best practices.