Your healthcare practice

Introduction

Welcome to Section 3 of the Introducing practical healthcare course, where you will explore a number of concepts regarding healthcare practice. When completed you will have the opportunity to obtain a ‘Your healthcare practice’ badge. This section will take approximately 3 hours to complete.

Here you will consider the privacy and dignity of patients, with a particular focus on how to provide intimate care for those who are ill (for example, the bedridden or in hospital). You will learn about the importance of fluids and nutrition, and a number of important factors to consider when trying to maintain a healthy diet for the patient.

Another important part of this section is about how to maintain health and safety within your workplace, and the need for infection prevention and control, covering hand hygiene, safe disposal of waste, safe management of laundry, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and goggles to protect from injury and infection. Lastly, this section of the course will aim to raise your awareness of mental health, dementia and learning disabilities, by providing definitions and specific types to look out for so that you can respond in the most appropriate way.