Management of infections in hospital employees

Hospital employees are often exposed to infectious diseases, both within and outside of the hospital. Susceptible personnel are at risk of acquiring infection and are a possible source of infection for patients, other employees and members of their households. In recent years epidemics in hospitals due to rubella, pertussis, hepatitis B and Legionnaires' disease have included infection transmitted to and from personnel. A comprehensive plan for management of hospital personnel exposed to communicable diseases should include the following: (1) protocols for the management of each of the common infectious diseases; (2) protocols for employees who are at special risk (pregnant women) and employees who work in areas of risk for certain infectious diseases (newborn nursery, clinical and pathology laboratories, hemodialysis unit); (3) assessment of infectious disease experience of new employees by history, skin test (tuberculosis) and serology (rubella, hepatitis B), and a plan for subsequent tests during employment; (4) continuous program of education of employees in infection control; and (5) coordination of policies among administration, employee health service and infection control officer and committee.