2. Communication and Collaboration

Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel

What to know

• Guideline: Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel
• Segment: Part I Infrastructure and Routine Practices
• Summary: Recommendations and resources for the communication and collaboration elements of infection prevention and control among healthcare personnel.

Additional Recommendations

See section 1. Leadership and Management for additional related recommendations.

For healthcare organization leaders and administrators

Number

Recommendation

2.a.

Establish organizational goals, policies and procedures, infrastructure, and interventions that foster communication and collaboration about occupational infection prevention and control.

For occupational health services leaders and staff

Number

Recommendation

2.b.

Engage senior leaders, administrators, leaders of other programs that share activities related to occupational infection prevention and control, and healthcare personnel to foster collaborative decision-making.

2.c.

Participate in the development of policies, procedures, and interventions that affect occupational infection prevention and control.

Background

Effective internal communication and collaboration between OHS, other HCO departments, and HCP can enhance the safety of HCP and their patients

• IPC services
• Clinical services
• Engineering and facility management services
• Environmental services
• HCO leaders and managers
• HCP representatives
• Human resources
• Information technology services
• Laboratory services
• Legal departments (e.g., risk management)
• Pharmacies
• Procurement and central supply services
• Quality assurance and accreditation committees
• Safety committees
• Volunteer departments
• Workers' compensation

Explicit communication and collaboration between OHS and other HCO departments, particularly IPC services, can improve HCP safety and the delivery of occupational IPC services. Multidisciplinary committees can assemble diverse expertise to address cross-cutting issues such as assessing and selecting Sharps with Engineered Sharps Injury Protection (SESIP)

Communication and collaboration among OHS and supervisors, senior management, human resources, IPC services, legal departments, and HCP are necessary to decrease the likelihood of HCP reporting to work when ill and to encourage adherence to recommended work restrictions, when indicated

Barriers to effective communication and collaboration can include:

• dispersed staff and worksite locations (e.g., multi-hospital or healthcare setting network, contracted and off-site occupational health services), and
• different requirements for staff not directly employed by a facility, such as credentialed private practice physicians and contractors.

Additional areas for communication and collaboration are discussed in section 1. Leadership and Management.

Abbreviations

• CMS = Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• HCO = Healthcare Organization
• HCP = Healthcare Personnel
• IPC = Infection Prevention and Control
• OHS = Occupational Health Services
• OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• PPE = Personal Protective Equipment
• SESIP = Sharps with Engineered Sharps Injury Protection
• TB = Tuberculosis

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