Course Overview

The duration of this course is 11-13 weeks.

The qualification is designed to help learners to understand the meaning and importance of infection control, the causes of infections, the condition in which they thrive and the ways that they can be spread.

As part of this course you will study four mandatory units:

UNIT 1 – Principles of the causes and spread of infection in health care settings

• Section 1 Understand how infection is caused
• Section 2 Understand how infection can spread
• Section 3 Understand the ‘chain of infection’
• Section 4 Understand the need to recognise Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI)

UNIT 2 – Principles of the importance of personal hygiene and health in the prevention and control of infection in health care settings

• Section 1 Understand the importance of good personal hygiene in the prevention and control of infection in a workplace setting
• Section 2 Understand the importance of effective hand washing
• Section 3 Understand the principles of using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

UNIT 3 – Principles of decontamination, cleaning and waste management in health care settings

• Section 1 Understand the importance of maintaining a clean environment
• Section 2 Understand roles and responsibilities in relation to cleaning, decontamination and waste management
• Section 3 Know the principles of decontamination
• Section 4 Understand the sterilisation process
• Section 5 Understand how to safely handle laundry
• Section 6 Understandtheprinciplesofeffectivewastemanagement
• Section 7 Understand how to safely handle sharps

UNIT 4 – Principles of infection prevention and control in a health care setting

• Section 1 The purpose of infection control
• Section 2 Regulations, policies and procedures for infection control
• Section 3 Roles and responsibilities in relation to infection control
• Section 4 The role of risk assessments in infection control
• Section 5 Infection control procedures

Assessment Methods

Assessments are due at the end of each unit. Your tutor will assess your work and build up your portfolio of evidence of learning. A certificate will be awarded on satisfactory submission of evidence of learning for the units studied.