Infection control is high on the primary care agenda for 2006, with new legislation, guidelines and educational initiatives underway or on the near horizon.
The good news for practice nurses is that standard precautions, used properly, are still the mainstay of general practice work. Front-line infection control professionals say that rigorous attention to basic principles such as handwashing, correct use of protective clothing and decontamination of equipment should be enough to protect patients and staff in all but exceptional circumstances.
The onus is on practice nurses to make sure they follow those principles each and every time they see a patient.