CareMalta has embarked on a reinforcement exercise of its infection prevention and control campaign in all the facilities it operates in a bid to further educate employees, as well as residents and their relatives, on the importance of minimising the spread of infection.
“Really and truly, this task is a revision of our basic infection control principles, which focus on hand hygiene as being the single most important measure to reduce the risk of infection. We simply want to strengthen the implementation of measures through training and more awareness,” said senior nursing manager Noel Borg.
The objective of our exercise is to highlight infection prevention and control, primarily through meaningful engagement with everyone across the board.
“Hand hygiene, together with a host of other precautionary measures, is crucial in the delivery of safe, quality care. We believe that through ongoing training and education, we are able to emphasise how everybody’s role plays a part in improving patient outcomes vis-à-vis breaking the pathogen-transmission chain,” nursing manager Maria Xuereb explained.
“Basic infection control practice needs to be implemented at all levels, from management teams, to employees, residents and relatives, all the time. Also, one needs to act responsibly during work and out of work.”
With this in mind, a number of refresher training sessions for employees are currently being held to make basic hand hygiene, as well as a number of other important measures, a priority and to create more awareness in this regard.
Mr Borg said it had now become more evident that the proper use of face masks and constant hand hygiene were primary actions of success in this pandemic. “When caring for persons with COVID-19, it is a different story. CareMalta has specific protocols in place that must be adhered to and complemented with national policies.”
He added: “Apart from hand hygiene and face masks, two other aspects play a crucial role: contact and self-discipline. Acting responsibly is of paramount importance during this time of crisis, as it indirectly protects you and those around you.”