The Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) program at IWK Health works with IWK team members, patients, families, and visitors to protect them from acquiring a hospital-associated infection.
How we help
We use a layered approach that includes multiple strategies like hand washing, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring that engineering controls are state of the art, and offering teaching sessions to all team members when they start working at the IWK, as well as family and patients if requested.
IPAC tracks infections and helps to support practice to prevent the spread of germs. We’re also involved in outbreak management and in the creation of learning actives to provide patients and families with the knowledge they need to prevent infections, both at IWK Health and at home.
The cornerstone of infection prevention and control continues to be good hand hygiene! We remind patients and staff to wash their hands with hand sanitizer or soap and water:
- when entering and leaving the IWK
- when entering and leaving a patient room
- when you’ve used the washroom
- before you eat
- after coughing or sneezing
If you’re coming to IWK Health and you or your child have a cough, sore throat, fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, please call your clinical team to discuss a plan for your appointment. If possible, the appointment may be postponed or offered as a virtual appointment, however if it is urgent it may proceed with IWK team members wearing PPE. If you’re already at IWK Health, tell someone on your healthcare team right away about your symptoms.