Online education used to combat hospital infections

A new internet education service launched this week aims to give health workers in Scotland immediate access to latest information on healthcare associated infections (HAI).

Health Minister Andy Kerr said the initiative, provided by NHS Education for Scotland (NES), would help in the fight against HAI by providing frontline NHS staff with knowledge on best practice for combating hospital infection.

Kerr told a conference entitled Managed Knowledge Networks: "Healthcare associated infection is a major concern for the public and for me. This new online HAI service for NHS staff, the first of its kind in the UK, will be a vital educational resource in the fight against HAIs.

It will provide NHS staff with a single point of access to a huge bank of up-to-date information on HAIs and allow them to share expertise on infection control. Staff will have access at their fingertips to articles, guidelines and news stories and events related to HAI and will be able to share experiences.

"This sharing of information on a local and international level will enable staff to sharpen skills in infection control. It will also underpin the rapidly developing programme of HAI education and training for staff from all disciplines."

The new learning resource is part of a raft of measures being used to combat hospital infection, an issue that has been prominent in the General Election campaign. Other actions include putting sisters and charge nurses back in charge of ward cleanliness and a reinforced system of accountability for health boards.

The online HAI education is one of a range learning resources provided by the NHSScotland e-library  produced by NES.

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