Course Access
Community care IPC
Wednesday 14 October 2026, 2.00PM AEDT
Speakers: Casey Cook and Geraldine Freriks
Infection Prevention in Community Nursing: Practical Strategies for Safe Care in the Home Environment
Delivering healthcare in the home presents unique infection prevention and control (IPC) challenges that differ significantly from acute care settings.
This webinar will be a “write your own focus theme”. We will have case studies to discuss and show the complexities that community nurses must adapt evidence-based practices to environments with limited clinical infrastructure while ensuring compliance with the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (NHMRC), the Aged Care IPC Guide, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and relevant state EPA waste management regulations.
This webinar will explore practical IPC strategies for managing infectious risks in home settings, including respiratory, gastro and skin/wound and the care of immunocompromised clients. It will examine the application of standard and transmission-based precautions within domestic environments, highlighting risk assessment prior to visits, appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), environmental cleaning considerations, and management of reusable equipment.
The session will also address safe clinical waste management in accordance with EPA requirements, including sharps disposal, segregation of clinical waste, and education of clients and families regarding safe practices in the home. Staff safety will be a key focus, including occupational health surveillance, vaccination, exposure management, and preparedness for unexpected precaution requirements during home visits.
We will cover as many of these case studies as possible in the webinar with our focus being on what you want to hear.
Please give us a starting point by using the following QR code to submit your topics.
About the speakers:
Casey Cook is a Nurse Unit Manager with 20 years of nursing experience across community, acute, and complex care settings. She leads the District Nursing and Continuing & Complex Care teams, focusing on delivering safe, person‑centred care and strengthening community care pathways in a regional setting. Casey is currently completing postgraduate studies in Nursing Leadership and Informatics, enhancing her skills in digital health and contemporary clinical leadership.
Geraldine Freriks is the Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Unit Manager at West Gippsland Healthcare Group. West Gippsland Healthcare Group has acute care, community care and two aged care facilities.
A dedicated nurse since 1987, she has worked across various specialties, primarily Oncology, Haematology, and Palliative Care, holding coordinating roles at St Vincent’s, Dandenong, Box Hill Hospital and West Gippsland Healthcare Group.
In 2016, Geraldine transitioned into Infection Prevention and Control, contributing significantly to the sepsis project at West Gippsland Healthcare Group. Over the past four years, she has played a key role in the Warragul COVID-19 response and worked at the Public Health Unit. Passionate about infection prevention, she is committed to education, reducing antimicrobial resistance and improving patient outcomes.
Geraldine has completed studies in Oncology, Haematology, Palliative Care, Management, and Infection Control.
To register for this webinar, please click the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_N__DcvzuRNmUNsoblY8Zxg