- Recognize the benefit to patients and healthcare workers of adhering to scientifically accepted principles and practices of infection prevention and control
- Recognize the professional's responsibility to adhere to scientifically accepted infection prevention and control practices in all healthcare settings and the consequences of failing to comply, and
- Recognize the professional's responsibility to monitor infection prevention and control practices of those medical and ancillary personnel for whom he or she is responsible and intervene as necessary to assure compliance and safety

- Describe how pathogenic organisms are spread in healthcare settings
- Identify the factors which influence the outcome of an exposure to pathogenic organisms in healthcare settings
- List strategies for preventing transmission of pathogenic organisms, and
- Describe how infection control concepts are applied in professional practice

- Define healthcare-associated disease transmission, engineering controls, safe injection practices, and work practice controls
- Describe specific high-risk practices and procedures that increase the opportunity for healthcare worker and patient exposure to potentially infectious material
- Describe specific measures to prevent transmission of bloodborne pathogens from patient to patient, healthcare worker to patient, and patient to healthcare worker via contaminated injection equipment
- Identify work practice controls designed to eliminate the transmission of bloodborne pathogens during use of sharp instruments (e.g., scalpel blades and their holders (if not disposable), lancets, lancet platforms/pens, puncture devices, needles, syringes, injections), and
- Identify where engineering or work practice controls can be utilized to prevent patient exposure to bloodborne pathogens

- Describe the circumstances that require the use of barriers and personal protective equipment to prevent patient or healthcare worker contact with potentially infectious material, and
- Identify specific barriers or personal protective equipment for patient and healthcare worker protection from exposure to potentially infectious material

- Define cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization
- Differentiate between non critical, semi critical, and critical medical devices
- Describe the three levels of disinfection (i.e., low, intermediate, and high)
- Recognize the importance of the correct application of reprocessing methods for assuring the safety and integrity of patient care equipment in preventing transmission of bloodborne pathogens
- Recognize the professional's responsibility for maintaining a safe patient care environment in all healthcare settings, and
- Recognize strategies for, and importance of, effective and appropriate pre-cleaning, chemical disinfection, and sterilization of instruments and medical devices aimed at preventing transmission of bloodborne pathogens

- Recognize the role of occupational health strategies in protecting healthcare workers and patients
- Recognize non-specific disease findings that should prompt evaluation of healthcare workers
- Identify occupational health strategies for preventing transmission of bloodborne pathogens and other communicable diseases in healthcare workers, and
- Identify resources for evaluation of healthcare workers infected with HIV, HBV, and/or HCV

- Describe the scope of the sepsis problem and the NYS Sepsis Improvement Initiative
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of sepsis to identify and treat at-risk patients, both adult and pediatric, as early as possible
- Understand the need for rapid evaluation and management in adults and children if sepsis is suspected
- Identify common sources of sepsis
- Educate patients and families on methods for preventing infections and illnesses that can lead to sepsis and on identifying the signs and symptoms of severe infections and when to seek care.