GuidelinesOther guideline
Summary of Content: General Principles of Infection Control
General principles A senior member of the anaesthesia staff should be appointed at each hospital to liaise with the infection control team to ensure compliance with best practice standards in infection control in all areas of anaesthetic practice. There must be regular training of healthcare workers in infection control practices. This training must be coupled with monitoring and regular auditing
General principles
- A senior member of the anaesthesia staff should be appointed at each hospital to liaise with the infection control team to ensure compliance with best practice standards in infection control in all areas of anaesthetic practice.
- There must be regular training of healthcare workers in infection control practices. This training must be coupled with monitoring and regular auditing of infection control practice.
- Teaching and training programmes in the practice of anaesthesia should integrate and promote infection control practices as a fundamental part of the curriculum and the speciality.
- The manufacturer’s recommendations should always be consulted to determine the compatibility of the respective piece of equipment with decontamination procedures and disinfectants.
- Changing to single-use anaesthesia devices is the best choice in the prevention of cross-infection. However, care must be taken when choosing a single-use device for an institution. There is a wide range of cheap, disposable anaesthesia devices, some of inferior quality. Certainty should always be established as to whether or not the chosen device is fit for purpose and is an evidence-based choice.
South African Society of Anaesthesiologists (SASA) Guidelines for Infection Control and Prevention in Anaesthesia in South Africa 2021