Putting infection control principles into practice in home care

Implementing sound, rational infection control practices in home care has been challenging since guidelines, standards, and most references have been developed for the acute care setting. This article provides guidance for adapting appropriate infection control interventions for patient care practices to the home care setting. Such practices include handwashing, home infusion therapy, respiratory care, wound care, urinary tract care, and isolation precautions. Assessment of the home care environment, cleaning and reprocessing of equipment, surveillance, implications for occupational health, and program design are also discussed.