CDC Outpatient Infection Prevention Guide & Checklist

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a guidance document and checklist specifically highlighting basic infection prevention practices in outpatient settings.

Key points from the outpatient infection prevention guide and checklist include:

• Safe medical injection practices must always be followed.  Health care personnel should use aseptic technique when preparing and administering medications.  Syringes and needles should not be reused either from patient to patient or to reenter medication vials.
• Procedures for the safe handling of potentially contaminated medical equipment - reusable medical equipment should be cleaned and reprocessed appropriately prior to use on another patient.
• Good hand hygiene, including use of alcohol-based hand rubs and hand washing with soap and water, is critical to reduce the risk of spreading infections in outpatient settings.