IntroductionUnit 3: Health and Social Care & Security

- Blaine Robin PhD 8th September 2015

“Microbes” as Hazards within Health and Social Care

Lesson Name Duration (mins.) Teaching Methods Evidence Gathering

Aim: Understand potential hazards in health and social care

1. Hazards: relating to the physical environment, equipment, infections, substances, working conditions, working practices, security systems

30minutes - Theoryincluding Introduction to unit 3

30 minutes Self directed learning

30 minutesPractical: Effective Handwashing

30 minutesReview

- Power point presentations

- Encourage learners to use You Tube to learn about topic (e.g. Microbes (reference and access the url address)

- Using art (i.e. flip charts and markers etc. to draw relevant images (e.g. of “cells” and “microbes”)

- Practical demonstrations - Develop theoretical & policy

writing methodology

- Handwashing assessment (Practical)

- Multiple choice quiz (Review)

- Reflective practice/policy writing activity On introduction of Microbes on MRSA and Clostridium Diffucili (Homework)

“Microbes” as Hazards within Health and Social Care

Introduction - What are Microbes?• Microbes are small (non visible to the naked eye) living creatures that we

call germs, moulds, yeasts and algae. • They are also known as viruses, bacteria, lower fungi and algae

‘ [I]n every gram of fertile soil there exists about 100 million living bacteria’ (Postgate 2000 p 3).

Some germs are good for us (e.g. yeast used to make bread and alcohol). In health and social care settings many are bad for human beings and can lead to illness and ultimately death.

Examples of Illnesses linked to the spread of microbes

• The common cold • Influenza• Meticillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)• Clostridium Difficile (Cdiff +ve)

• Microbes can be responsible for inhibiting the healing process after a hospital operation for example or preventing a person from effectively fighting to staff alive after an infection. Minimizing the spread of microbes (hazard) is therefore a high priority within the NHS and Social Care settings.

How do we fight against microbes that make us ill?

• The bodies defence system is known as the Immune System. Under normal circumstances our bodies is able to fight off the effects of viruses and bacteria.• When the bodies defence system is weakened we are prescribed

antibiotics (or other forms of immunizations) to help us fight the effect of the bacteria and or virus. • Prevention however is seen as a valuable intervention that Health and

Social Care Professionals can use to assist many of our clients particularly post operation or when receiving regulated carer services in the community.

What action can be taken within Health and Social Care settings?

• Clean your hands – a campaign by the National Patient Safety Agency (2004)• Introduced the message of the 5 moments of hand hygiene aimed at

reducing the spread of microbes.Ref: http://www.npsa.nhs.uk/cleanyourhands/resource-area/evidence-base/?EntryId34=58491

The 5 moments of hand hygiene

Thank you

References• Betsy, T and Keogh, J (2005) Microbiology Demystified. London.

McGraw- Hill.• Heritage J, Evans, E.G.V and Killington, R.A ( 1996) Introductory

Microbiology. UK. Cambridge University Press• Postgate, J (2000) Microbes and Man. UK.Cambridge University Press.• Wagner, E et al (2004) Basic Virology. UK. Blackwell Publishing.