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Category Archives: Infection Control
Audiology Infection Control: What Do You Suggest We Do When….
The following question posed by AuD students during an infection control presentation has been popping up, in one form or another, more often: “What do you suggest we do when we, as students, are at a clinical site that doesn’t practice infection control?” Since … Continue reading
Posted in Infection Control
Tagged AuD, Audiology, Audiology Students, hearing aids, Infection control
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Five Key Points of Infection Control
In response to the AIDS epidemic, Universal Precautions issued by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) issued in the mid 1980′s were designed to protect healthcare workers specifically from blood borne pathogens. These precautions were eventually expanded upon to protect healthcare … Continue reading
Posted in Infection Control
Tagged Audiology, AudiologyOnline, Infection control, Oaktree Products
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Disposable Audiology Supplies: Bringing It All Together!
As part of an infection control program, some clinics may make the decision to invest in disposable audiology supplies rather than relying on the use of reusable items. Designed for one-time use, disposable materials eliminate the need for investing time and … Continue reading
Ultrasonic Cleaners
Audiologists rely on the use of ultrasonic machines to clean or disinfectobjects that can be immersed in a liquid solution. Items to be cleaned are placed in the solution residing in the ultrasonic tank. The tank is then turned on to activate the ultrasonic cleaning mechanism. … Continue reading
Cool New Portable Hearing Aid Sanitizer & Deodorizer
The ear is a dark, warm moist place where bacteria and other germs (some good, some bad) like to grow. These microorganisms can easily contaminate hearing instrument and/or earmold surfaces where they can continue to thrive and grow. Since hearing instruments are designed … Continue reading
Wash Your Hands!
Hand washing represents the single most important thing you can do to minimize the potential spread of disease in the clinical environment. Traditional hand washing involves lathering the hands with soap, vigorously rubbing together all surfaces of lathered hands for at least 10 seconds, … Continue reading
Free Tools to use with your Hearing Aid Patients
Cleaning hearing instruments the right way is important; simply wiping them with a tissue or using a brush to clean the surface is not enough. The ear is a dark, warm, moist place where bacteria and other germs, some good and some … Continue reading
A Sterilant by any other name will work as well…..
As outlined by OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen Standard (29 CRF 1910.1030) addressed in a blog post from August 12, 2010 regarding when to sterilize, all critical instruments must be sterilized prior to reuse. The next question that comes to mind is how to … Continue reading
Posted in Infection Control
Tagged Audiology, cold sterilants, Infection control, Oaktree Products, Sporox, sterilants, Wavicide
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Is a written infection control plan necessary?
One common questioned I am asked when presenting on the topic of infection control is whether a written infection control plan is really necessary. The short answer to this question is “YES”!. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires … Continue reading
Sterilize or not to sterilize? That’s a common question!
According to 29 CRF 1910.1030 (OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen Standard), critical instruments intended for reuse must be sterilized. By definition, a critical instrument refers to any instrument or object introduced into the bloodstream (e.g. needles), non-invasive instruments or objects that come in contact with mucous membranes … Continue reading
Posted in Infection Control
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