Infection Prevention and Control in the Podiatrist’s Clinic
Professional Standards Regarding Infection Prevention and Control in the Podiatrist’s Clinic
Preamble
Ensuring safe and effective infection prevention and control measures is an important component of medical practice. Prevention and control measures mitigate the risks associated with infection transmission for employees and the public. The same standard of care for infection prevention and control is required in a clinical office setting as in a hospital facility.
Professional Standards
Podiatrists must maintain safe and effective infection control practices in their workplaces. To protect the health and safety of patients, employees, and visitors in their offices, podiatrists must ensure that written policies and procedures are in place for the prevention and control of infectious agents. Protective measures must be in place in both direct patient care activities as well as in managing the clinical office environment.
Podiatrists must:
- apply routine cleaning and disinfection practices at all times and additional precautions as necessary to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases;
- implement hand hygiene procedures for patient and provider safety;
- provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to staff for whom they are responsible, and ensure an adequate office supply of all necessary PPE;
- appropriately handle, clean, and dispose of materials, equipment, and sharps;
- safely reprocess reusable medical equipment and other medical devices including the development of written policies and procedures regarding the sterilization of reusable medical instruments/devices used in the clinical office setting and the testing of all sterilizers for performance using physical, chemical and biological monitors and indicators;
- safely handle and store medications and vaccines;
- appropriately dispose of biomedical waste;
- orient and educate employees to infection prevention and control practices; and
- implement health and safety programs for infection surveillance, treatment for contact, screening, and immunization.
Best practices regarding these professional standards and information on infection prevention and control in medical clinics are provided for in the following recommended documents:
- Infection Prevention and Control Requirements for Medical Clinics: Self-Assessment Tool
(College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, 2022)
This is a concise, practical tool for assessing compliance with infection prevention and control best practices.
- Infection Prevention and Control for Clinical Office Practice
(Public Health Ontario, 2015)
This substantive document identifies medical practitioner responsibilities in relation to infection prevention and transmission. The index provides quick access to specific topics.
Resources
College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia
Public Health Ontario
Nova Scotia Health
Public Health Agency of Canada
Infection Prevention Control Canada
Acknowledgements
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia acknowledges the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta’s and Public Health Ontario’s related documents in the preparation of this standard.
Document History
First approved by the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia: March 21, 2025