Writing, at least for me cannot be forced. I’m a “muller”, in that I like to choose a
topic, mull it over, have it “speak to me” to get the creative juices
going. This week, the topic I had picked
is not speaking to me. As I have been putting
the last minute touches on a presentation I’m giving on Sunday about Infection
Prevention in Personal Service Settings it occurred to me why not write a blog
on that! I admit, there are times, when
I truly question if in fact I have a brain……
Like any good female, preparation for speaking in front
of crowds is not just about what topic will be discussed. Consideration as to how you’ll look is an
absolute must. The fact that I will be
speaking to a group of estheticians and Spa owners who are generally
immaculately quaffed, not a hair out of place (and no grey to speak of),
expertly manicured hands and feet, tastefully (generally speaking) applied
makeup has put me into a bit of a panic.
I have managed to squeeze in a hair appointment, I’m generally capable
of applying makeup, I’m hoping it’s not too late in the season to wear my linen
suit and the shoes that REALLY pull of the outfit are only peep-toes so…..I
should be able to get away with the fact that it was me who painted my toes.
So what does this have with Infection Control in the
Personal Services market? Well, first
off, Personal Services spans a large array of services; manicures, pedicures,
facials, tattooing, body piercing, acupuncture and barbering or hair
salons. Having brushed up on the
infection control practices required for personal services, I can say with
CERTAINTY my hairstylist of over 10 years does NOT practice infection control
according to the current guideline recommendations. But, lucky for her, I’m not too worried about
picking anything up from the chairs (that’s why you always wash your hands
before eating), nor am I too worried about catching something from the
brushes/combs or scissors she used.
First, she has never nicked me with her scissors – an obvious sign of her
ability! So the chance of getting a
Bloodborne pathogen is pretty low. While
I didn’t see her disinfect the combs or brushes I am actually thankful she does
not use Barbicide…it’s never used correctly so the combs and brushes may just
as well be rinsed with water and besides, I had lice in public school – no big
deal, wash your hair in special shampoo, use a special comb, stay at home for a
period of time. Heck, if I caught lice
on Wednesday perhaps I wouldn’t have to work on Sunday!
As a consumer, what are some of the things you can look
for when considering your next pampering treatment in a personal service
setting. Here are the things I look
for:
1. Is the facility clean and organized?
2. Are the tools and work surfaces in good repair?
3. Did I see the personal service worker wash their
hands?
4. Are the tools and supplies stored in a clean area?
5. Are creams, lotions, wax etc used in a way that does
not contaminate them?
6. Are clean sheets, towels, etc used for each client and
paper liners thrown out after each use?
7. Most importantly, ask yourself if you feel comfortable
with getting whatever treatment you are looking forward to done. If what you see or hear is making you
uncomfortable…RUN!!!!!
In a nutshell, the infection control requirements for
personal services are fairly simplistic.
Clean what needs to be cleaned.
Disinfect what should be disinfected.
Sterilize what needs to be sterile (or just purchase the items as
single-use sterile items and for those items that cannot be cleaned,
disinfected or sterilized between uses, throw them out! If you want more detail and a description of
what items are used for various “treatments” York Region has a really good
pamphlet “Be Spa Safe”. And yes, I did
steal the title of this blog from their pamphlet!
Bugging Off!
Nicole
