Course Title: Infection Control in Outpatient Departments (OPD)

Duration: 4 Weeks (1 Month)

Course Designed By: Skillversity

Course Overview:

This course provides healthcare professionals working in outpatient departments (OPDs) with essential knowledge and strategies to prevent and control infections in non-hospital settings. It covers infection risks, hygiene protocols, sterilization techniques, and patient safety measures to ensure a safe environment for both patients and healthcare staff.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, learners will:

• Understand the sources and transmission of infections in OPD settings.

• Implement standard precautions (hand hygiene, PPE use, and respiratory etiquette).

• Apply proper sterilization and disinfection techniques for equipment and surfaces.

• Identify high-risk areas and vulnerable patients in OPD settings.

• Ensure proper waste disposal and environmental cleaning protocols.

• Recognize infection control regulations and best practices based on NABH & WHO guidelines.

Weekly Course Structure:

Week 1: Basics of Infection Control in OPD

• Module 1: Understanding Infection Risks in OPD

  • Common infections in outpatient settings

  • Modes of transmission (contact, droplet, airborne)

  • Identifying high-risk patients & vulnerable groups

• Module 2: Standard Precautions & Hand Hygiene

  • WHO’s Five Moments for Hand Hygiene

  • Proper handwashing & sanitization techniques

  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) usage in OPD

• Assessment: Hand hygiene simulation task

Week 2: Environmental & Equipment Disinfection

• Module 3: Sterilization & Disinfection of OPD Equipment

  • Cleaning vs. disinfection vs. sterilization

  • Methods for disinfecting patient examination rooms

  • Best practices for instrument sterilization

• Module 4: Surface & Airborne Infection Control

  • Importance of ventilation & air quality management

  • Use of HEPA filters & UV sterilization in OPD

  • Routine environmental cleaning protocols

• Assessment: Disinfection protocol checklist activity

Week 3: Waste Management & Patient Safety

• Module 5: Biomedical Waste Management in OPD

  • Segregation of infectious vs. non-infectious waste

  • Safe handling of sharps & needle disposal

  • NABH & BMW Rules 2016 compliance

• Module 6: Patient & Staff Safety Measures

  • Infection control practices for immunocompromised patients

  • Handling infectious disease cases in OPD

  • Staff vaccination & post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

• Assessment: Case study on infection risk mitigation in OPD

Week 4: Compliance, Auditing & Final Certification

• Module 7: Infection Control Auditing & Compliance

  • NABH, WHO, & CDC guidelines for outpatient infection control

  • Conducting an OPD infection risk assessment

  • Strategies to improve infection control compliance

• Module 8: Final Assessment & Certification

  • MCQ-based exam on infection control principles

  • Case-based OPD infection prevention plan assignment

  • Certification of completion

• Final Assessment: OPD infection control audit simulation

Who Should Enroll?

• OPD Nurses & Healthcare Staff

• General Practitioners & Outpatient Clinicians

• Infection Control Officers & Hospital Administrators

• Healthcare Workers in Diagnostic Labs & Clinics