Reflective Journal on Infection Control: PSW Student Perspective

This reflective journal entry details a Personal Support Worker (PSW) student's experience with infection control, specifically focusing on a patient suffering from Tuberculosis. The student describes their role in providing care, including educating the patient about hygiene practices like covering coughs and using hand sanitizers. The journal highlights the observed symptoms of the patient, such as coughing, chest pain, and weight loss, emphasizing the importance of infection control. The PSW student's responsibilities included assisting with daily tasks and providing direct patient care. The student reported their observations to a pulmonologist, and the journal reflects on the need to inform the patient's family about infection control measures. The student references relevant literature to support their observations and experiences.

Running Head: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
INFECTION CONTROL
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
Question 1
I experienced a caregiving situation related to infection control when I was practising as a PSW.
A patient was suffering from severe Tuberculosis (TB), and it was my duty to monitor her
infection control. During her stay, I used to guide her about covering her mouth while sneezing
or coughing and using hand sanitisers before or after touching any object or meeting new people.
Question 2
The observations I saw during my experience was the underlying symptoms found in a TB
patient. It included continuous coughing, chest pain, blood seen during coughing, sweating at
night, loss of appetite and weight loss (Moro et al., 2016). This made me realize the importance
of infection control in patients who are suffering from such chronic conditions.
Question 3
As a personal support worker (PSW), my role was to care for highly infected and vulnerable
patients. It also includes patients who are elderly, weak and need personal support for their daily
chores. They assist people with bathing, washing, eating, walking and changing their beds when
they are unable to. They spend a maximum of time with their clients (Saari et al., 2018).
Question 4
I immediately reported to the medical expert who was assigned for treating this patient. She is a
pulmonologist who is an expert in treating people with lung issues and preventing infection
control. She was the correct person to report because she was aware of the whole treatment
procedure and past medical history of the patient.

2REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
Question 5
The improvement I needed to do in this situation was to explain my patient’s family members
about the infection control because it is necessary for people near her to know about the
consequences of coming in contact with an infected person. As it prevents infection control.

3REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
References
Moro, R. N., Borisov, A. S., Saukkonen, J., Khan, A., Sterling, T. R., Villarino, M. E., ... &
Goldberg, S. V. (2016). Factors associated with noncompletion of latent tuberculosis
infection treatment: experience from the PREVENT TB trial in the United States and
Canada. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 62(11), 1390-1400.
Saari, M., Patterson, E., Kelly, S., & Tourangeau, A. E. (2018). The evolving role of the personal
support worker in home care in Ontario, Canada. Health & social care in the
community, 26(2), 240-249.