Infection control is an integral part of pediatric practice in outpatient s
ettings as well as in hospitals. All employees should be educated regarding
the routes of transmission and techniques used to prevent transmission of
infectious agents. Policies for infection control and prevention should be
written, readily available, updated annually, and enforced. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention standard precautions for hospitalized patie
nts with modifications from the American Academy of Pediatrics are appropri
ate for most patient encounters. As employers, pediatricians are required b
y the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to take precauti
ons to protect staff likely to be exposed to blood or other potentially inf
ectious materials while on the job. Key principles of infection control inc
lude the following: hand-washing before and after every patient contact, se
paration of infected, contagious children from uninfected children, safe ha
ndling and disposal of needles and other sharp medical devices, appropriate
use of personal protection equipment such as gloves, appropriate steriliza
tion, disinfection and antisepsis, and judicious use of antibiotics.