IN  THE  KNOW A  Little  History of  Infection Control I n the  1830's, parents protected  their children from infections by having them wear a piece of  leather  across their chests.  It was also believed that  sunlight and  fresh  air  were enough  to kill germs. U p until  the mid- 1800's,  surgeons didn't spend  much  time washing their hands and a patient's skin was hardly  ever  cleaned before  surgery.   Surgical instruments were  only rinsed off and sponges were  reused. I n 1860,  Joseph  Lister began  to spray carbolic  acid  on  surgical wounds,  instruments and dressings.   This reduced the number of deaths from surgery. G loves  were first  used in the early 1900's to  protect  nurses' hands from chemicals used during  surgery.   Years later, gloves  became a barrier, protecting patients  and  healthcare workers from  infection. U ntil 50 years ago,   patients  with all different kinds of diseases stayed in the same room  or ward. A s scientists learn more and  more about  what causes disease,  they try harder to control the  spread of infection.  For example, a   recent event that triggered new infection control  guidelines was the outbreak of HIV/AIDS. Because of this disease,   the US Centers for Disease Control (the CDC) developed Universal  Precautions  in 1985. I n  1996, the CDC  took another look at universal precautions and decided to  make  some changes.   They wanted to be sure that their guidelines made  sense more about Standard Precautions throughout this inservice. What Are  Additional Precautions? A dditional precautions are guidelines for protecting yourself  and/or patients who need  more than just basic infection control.  These  extra precautions are divided into categories according to  how a disease is spread: Airborne Transmission Droplet Transmission Contact Transmission T his inservice  will teach you about these different kinds of disease transmission.   You'll also  learn how and when to  use Additional Precautions. and  were easy to follow.   As a  result, healthcare workers  have infection control guidelines called Standard  Precautions and  Additional Precautions. What  Are  Standard Precautions? S tandard Precautions are basic  infection control guidelines for you  to follow  as you perform  your daily work   These guidelines for preventing  the spread of bloodborne  diseases include: washing  your hands properly using  protective barriers like gloves, gowns and masks handling infectious waste material properly You'll  learn What's  All  the  Fuss  About Standard  Precautions? The Inservice  Club  for Nursing Assistants Copyright  1999 In  the  Know,  Inc.   May be copied for use within each physical location  that purchases membership in the Inservice Club.