Infection Prevention and Control Resources

Adherence to infection prevention and control (IPAC) standards by healthcare professionals and staff working in clinical offices is required to minimize the risk of infection both to patients/clients and staff. Self-regulated healthcare professions are responsible for ensuring that their members’ practice meets IPAC standards. For example,

• Physicians are required by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) to follow IPAC best practices,
• Nurses must follow the College of Nurses of Ontario’s practice standards for infection prevention and control,
• Dentists must follow the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario’s guidelines and a draft Standard on infection prevention and control,
• Midwives are required to follow IPAC best practices set out by the College of Midwives of Ontario, and
• Physiotherapists must follow the Infection Control and Equipment Maintenance Standard of the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario.
• Chiropodists and Podiatrists must follow the Infection Control Standard of Practice under the College of Chiropodists of Ontario

All healthcare professions, including those that have not developed their own infection prevention and control standards or guidelines, are expected to follow the Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC) best practices.

A series of documents detailing infection prevention and control (IPAC) best practices are available from Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC). By following these guidelines, healthcare professionals meet the expected standard of care to protect their patients from contracting iatrogenic infectious diseases.

Signage:

• STOP Symptom Screening signage - [pdf - 1,179 KB]

Guidelines for all healthcare settings: 

• Routine Practices and Additional Precautions
• Best Practices for Hand Hygiene
• Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment and Devices
• Best Practices for Environmental Cleaning for Prevention and Control of Infections in All Health Care Settings 

Guidelines for healthcare providers working in clinical office settings:

• Infection Prevention and Control for Clinical Office Practice
• Infection Prevention and Control in Paediatric Office Settings
• Standard of Practice: Infection Prevention and Control in the Dental Office

Online training:

• Core Competencies Training
  • Hand Hygiene
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Chain of Transmission
  • Environmental Cleaning
  • Risk assessment
  • Additional Precautions
• Environmental Cleaning Toolkit
• Reprocessing in Community Health Care Settings – online course for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of reusable medical equipment
• Reprocessing Quick Reference Guide - [pdf - 272 KB]

Additional guidance documents and many free training opportunities are available on Public Health Ontario’s (PHO) website.

A series of documents detailing infection prevention and control (IPAC) best practices are available from Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC). By following these guidelines, healthcare professionals meet the expected standard of care to protect their patients from contracting iatrogenic infectious diseases.

Signage:

• STOP Symptom Screening signage - [pdf - 1,179 KB]

Guidelines for all healthcare settings: 

• Routine Practices and Additional Precautions
• Best Practices for Hand Hygiene
• Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment and Devices
• Best Practices for Environmental Cleaning for Prevention and Control of Infections in All Health Care Settings 

Guidelines for healthcare providers working in clinical office settings:

• Infection Prevention and Control for Clinical Office Practice
• Infection Prevention and Control in Paediatric Office Settings
• Standard of Practice: Infection Prevention and Control in the Dental Office

Online training:

• Core Competencies Training
  • Hand Hygiene
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Chain of Transmission
  • Environmental Cleaning
  • Risk assessment
  • Additional Precautions
• Environmental Cleaning Toolkit
• Reprocessing in Community Health Care Settings – online course for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of reusable medical equipment
• Reprocessing Quick Reference Guide - [pdf - 272 KB]

Additional guidance documents and many free training opportunities are available on Public Health Ontario’s (PHO) website.

1. Follow the Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC) Infection Prevention and Control best practices.
2. Use appropriate cleaning agents and a hospital grade, low-level disinfectant suitable for a clinic setting (as opposed to household cleaning products).
3. Hire a professional cleaning service able to meet the standards for healthcare.
4. Use safety-engineered devices. (see figure 1 below).
5. Follow the Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC) guidance for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment and Devices, including ensuring that staff are appropriately trained, completing all reprocessing steps, following the sterilizer’s manufacturer’s instructions for use, monitoring the physical parameters, chemical indicators, and biological indicators for the sterilizer and documenting the results. Reprocessing Quick Reference Guide - [pdf - 272 KB]
6. Ensure one-way workflow from dirty to clean where reprocessing occurs, with clear separation between the dirty and clean areas.
7. Post signage for hand hygiene and cough etiquette where patients can see them.
8. Have an isolation area for patients identified with respiratory infections and other communicable diseases.
9. Do not reuse single-use items (see figure 2 below). This symbol (the number two in a circle with a bar through it), which is found on medical equipment packaging, indicates that an item cannot be reused. 
10. Dispose of medical waste appropriately.

Figure 1

Figure 2

OPH is required to investigate matters regarding infection prevention and control and potential health hazards under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA), R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7., as amended and in accordance with the following Protocols published under the Ontario Public Health Standards:

• Infection Prevention and Control Protocol, 2019
• Infection Prevention and Control Complaint Protocol, 2019
• Infection Prevention and Control Disclosure Protocol, 2019  

As per the Infection Prevention and Control Complaint Protocol, 2019, when Ottawa Public Health receives an IPAC complaint, or if a reportable disease investigation implicates a healthcare facility, Ottawa Public Health initiates an investigation within 24 hours to determine whether an IPAC lapse has occurred.

An Infection prevention and control (IPAC) lapse is a failure to follow IPAC practice standards resulting in a risk of transmission of infectious diseases to clients, attendees or staff through exposure to blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, or contaminated equipment and soiled items (Infection Prevention and Control Complaint Protocol, 2019)

If an IPAC lapse has occurred, Ottawa Public Health must ensure that corrective action is taken in a timely fashion to protect the public’s health. Where there is spread or risk of spread of communicable (infectious) diseases, or a health hazard exists, Ottawa Public Health’s Medical Officer of Health has the authority under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) to require, when necessary, actions to be taken to decrease or eliminate the risk to health or the health hazard.

As per the Infection Prevention and Control Disclosure Protocol, 2019, Ottawa Public Health must post a report of the IPAC lapse on its website for two years. 

When a regulated health professional is involved in an IPAC lapse, Ottawa Public Health is required notify their professional regulatory college.