This book can serve 2 purposes; it can be used as a reference book and guide to you at home or in your workplace or as a training manual to ensure you are competent and can exercise your duty to care in your workplace and in your community. Epidemics and pandemics have become disruptive to our lives so it is important to be well informed by evidence based best practices. Keeping informed and not panicking is critical during these difficult times. This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required for workers to comply with infection control policies and procedures. All procedures must be carried out in accordance with current infection control guidelines, Australian and New Zealand Standards (as well as International). This resource acknowledges the importance of complying with an effective infection control strategy that ensures the safety of the client (or end-user of health-related products/services), maintains personal protection and prevents the transmission of infections from person to person. Organisations and Individuals need to be committed to the prevention of cross infection through standard or special precautions, education, training, immunization, and information dissemination. Given the contemporary nature of global infection spread it is important we all take note on a personal and professional level. All of us need to keep healthy and avoid contributing to an epidemic. Infections of a large scale are defined as epidemics or pandemics. An epidemic is the rapid spread of infectious disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time, usually two weeks or less. A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. HIV/AIDS is an example of one of the most destructive global pandemics in history. Organisations and Individuals must comply with the 2 types of recognized precautions to take when in contact (or are likely to come into contact) with Microorganisms capable of causing disease. In the light of recent epidemics. The ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE you will acquire includes the following and more: Basic microbiology including: -bacteria and bacterial spores-fungi-viruses; Aspects of infectious diseases including: -pathogens-opportunistic organism; Disease transmission: -sources of infecting microorganisms including persons who are carriers, in the incubation phase of the disease or those who are acutely ill; paths of transmission including direct contact; aerosols and penetrating injuries; risk of acquisition; Susceptible hosts including persons who are immune suppressed, have chronic diseases such as diabetes and the very young or very old. Organisation requirements relating to immunisation, where applicable The organisation's infection control policies and procedures. Identification and management of infectious risks in the workplace. Clean and sterile techniques; Standard precautions; Additional precautions; Good personal hygiene practice including hand care; Effective hand hygiene: -when hands must be washed-procedures, routine handwash-procedures for surgical handwash; Personal protective equipment: -guidelines for wearing gowns and waterproof aprons, -guidelines for wearing masks as required, -guidelines for wearing protective glasses & guidelines for glove use, -Surface cleaning, -cleaning procedures at the start and end of the day-routine surface cleaning, -managing a blood or body fluid spill, -Sharps handling and disposal techniques. The ESSENTIAL SKILLS to master include: Apply standard precautions: -follow the procedure for washing and drying hands;-putting into practice clean and sterile techniques;- using personal protective equipment;- limiting contamination; -maintaining clean surfaces and managing blood and body fluid spills; -protecting materials, equipment and instruments from contamination until required for use-ensure instruments used for invasive procedures are sterile;-applying additional precau