Final answer:
Hospitals must communicate infection prevention and control responsibilities to medical staff, responsible individuals, licensed practitioners, staff, visitors, patients, and their families, including adherence to protocols endorsed by the CDC and WHO.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hospitals are required to communicate responsibilities for preventing and controlling infection primarily to the medical staff and the individual(s) responsible for the infection prevention and control program. Moreover, they also need to ensure that licensed independent practitioners, staff, visitors, patients, and families are informed and aware of these responsibilities. For instance, in the case of Marisa, who was isolated to prevent her infection from spreading, all hospital staff needed to follow strict protocols, such as stringent hand hygiene practices and careful disinfection, in line with infection control measures.
When considering the ethical and practical aspects of infection control, it is important to adhere to guidelines provided by organizations such as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the WHO (World Health Organization). Patient safety and staff protection, such as through the use of personal protective clothing as illustrated in FIGURE 19.1, are critical in minimizing risks of healthcare-associated infections like MRSA. The CDC's recommendation for healthcare workers to be vaccinated against HBV and the WHO's guidelines on preventing bloodstream infections are examples of preventative strategies in healthcare settings.
In terms of legal implications, hospitals could potentially be held liable if they do not adhere to established protocols, even if those protocols are flawed. However, proactive measures such as early detection of diseases like HIV to minimize liability, as mentioned in the Clinical Focus section, are crucial for both ethical and practical management within healthcare environments.