Infection prevention and control: Guideline for speech pathologists, Version 1,2020.

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• Bodily fluids (e.g., vomit, saliva) excluding sweat. It is also essential to consider how standard precautions can be implemented and maintained across all environments. For example: • Ensure ready access to handwashing or hand sanitiser (pending available amenities in the environment) for the speech pathologist and the client • Ensure routine environmental and equipment (including assessment and intervention materials) cleaning between consultations, clinical procedures and sessions. Common tasks that may result in some form of exposure to infectious agents include: • Assessment and intervention with clients who may vomit, have an episode of incontinence and/or cry. • Assessment and treatment of clients who present with conditions that can be transmitted by contact, droplet and aerosol routes. • Assessment and treatment of clients with wounds. • Close assessment and treatment of clients with chronic respiratory conditions, excessive phonation and/or saliva control difficulties (including self-soothing behaviours, (e.g., ‘blowing raspberries’) and mouthing/sucking on the body (e.g., thumb) then touching objects). • Direct client contact and handling during assessment and therapy (e.g., helping to adjust the back support on a wheelchair to improve the position for speech, helping position a client in the bed for a swallow assessment, or holding an infant for a feeding trial). • Handling and use of medical devices including shared client care equipment (e.g., stethoscopes, wheelchairs). • Handling of client’s assistive technology such as communication technology, glasses, hearing aids and wheelchairs. • Handling of shared (between practitioners and clients) assessment and therapy objects (e.g., pen, prompt cards.) • Mealtime management and mealtime equipment. • Shared or communal clinic and practice environments (including multi-room or multi- site visits). 5.1 Hand Hygiene Effective hand hygiene is the most important strategy to prevent and reduce the risk of infectious agent transmission in healthcare activities that result in healthcare associated infections. Hands can become contaminated through contact with all individuals and environmental surrounds (i.e. clients, health practitioners and workplace environments). Hand hygiene involves washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based rub (waterless antimicrobial agent). The most appropriate agent to complete hand hygiene depends on whether hands are visibly soiled, the type of activity undertaken and any exposure to certain potential pathogens. Practice regular hand hygiene as part of a multi-factorial approach to effectively minimise or prevent the transmission of infectious agents. It is also essential to educate and encourage clients to conduct hand hygiene. Ensure that clients have access to amenities to clean their hands when needed. 5 Moments of Hand Hygiene All speech pathologists must perform the relevant ‘5 Moments of Hand Hygiene’ 33 before and after every episode of client contact. The ‘5 Moments’ (see Figure 5) apply to all healthcare and

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Infection Prevention and Control - Guideline for Speech Pathologists | Version 1, 2020