Best Practices in IPAC

This best practice document deals with cleaning and disinfection of the physical environment in health care as they relate to the prevention and control of infections. It is targeted to those who have a role in the management of cleaning/housekeeping services for the health care setting.

This document sets out interim best practices to address a novel respiratory infection, for all health care settings, prior to specific guidance being issued. It takes a precautionary approach that combines Airborne Precautions and Droplet/Contact Precautions when the aetiology agent or epidemiology is not yet known, and the morbidity and mortality are presumed to be severe.

This document provides evidence-based infection prevention and control (IPAC) recommendations for perinatology. It was developed for those providing perinatal care at all levels (primary, secondary, tertiary), including physicians (neonatologists, obstetricians, family physicians, pediatricians); nurses (obstetrical, neonatal, pediatric, public health); midwives; lactation consultants; as well as infection control professionals (ICPs).

This best practice document is intended as a guide for infection control professionals in acute and long-term care, to ensure that the critical elements and methods of surveillance for health care-associated infections (HAIs) are incorporated into their practice.

This document was developed to provide best practices for the performance of hand hygiene in health care settings across the continuum of care. This includes, but is not limited to, acute care, complex continuing care, rehabilitation facilities, long-term care homes, chronic care, pre-hospital care and home health care.

This best practice document was developed in collaboration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to support those working in clinical office settings to minimize the risk of infection transmission in office-based practice.

This best practice document is intended for health care providers to ensure that the critical elements and methods of decontamination, disinfection and sterilization are incorporated into health care facility procedures. The document describes essential elements and methods in the safe handling, monitoring and auditing, transportation and biological decontamination of contaminated medical equipment/devices.

Resources related to routine practices and additional precautions in health care settings across the continuum of care including, but not limited to, pre-hospital care, acute care, complex continuing care, rehabilitation facilities, long-term care, chronic care, ambulatory care and home health care.

The purpose of this document is to provide recommendations for specific activities for IPAC programs across the continuum of health care delivery in Ontario and for the adequate and appropriate resource allocation for IPAC programs across the continuum of health care delivery.