Outbreaks of infection are managed by specialist practitioners in public health and infection control. However, the occurrence of an outbreak impinges on the work of other nurses employed in the affected service. In most cases the effects will be self-limiting and although inconvenient at the time, are not far-reaching. However, media reports have fuelled concerns about outbreaks of infection among health workers as well as the public. The aim of this article is to provide an understanding of outbreaks of infection and the implications of outbreak situations for nurses employed in community settings, drawing on the lessons learned from a wide range of outbreaks past and present.
Primary Health Care. 23, 3, 32-40. doi: 10.7748/phc2013.04.23.3.32.e750
Correspondence Peer reviewThis article has been subject to double blind peer review
Conflict of interestNone declared
Received: 01 February 2013
Accepted: 04 February 2013
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