Infection prevention and control

Health care providers

Health care providers play a vital role in keeping the effectiveness of antibiotics. Prescribing antibiotics only when needed can help reduce antibiotic resistance in:

• hospitals
• long-term care facilities
• homes and communities

This is equally true for community medicine, agriculture and veterinary use.

All health care providers who are authorized to prescribe antibiotics should make sure they follow provincial, territorial or local guidance to choose the:

• most appropriate drug
• correct dose
• correct duration

Infection prevention and control references

It is important for health care providers to practice infection prevention and control in health care settings. This will help reduce the spread of both regular and resistant microbes. Routine Practices and Additional Precautions for Preventing the Transmission of Infection in Health care Settings gives guidance for health care providers.

The Help Reduce the Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance infographic highlights the key elements of routine practices.

Hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and infections in health care settings. Hand Hygiene Practices in Health care Settings provides a framework for developing programs, policies and procedures for hand hygiene in health care settings.

References such as Bugs & Drugs give the latest recommendations for antibiotic prescribing and the Prescribe Antibiotics Wisely fact sheet outlines key clinical points for treating older adults.

Used with provincial, territorial or local guidance, these references give information about the best treatment and prevention of infectious diseases.