2. Outbreak

Question 1

What is a healthcare associated infection (HAI)

Answer 1

An infection you might catch when getting healthcare in hospitals, care homes, doctors surgeries, health centres or receiving care at home

Question 2

What are the most common HAI’s?

Answer 2

Urin infections
Infections after surgery
Skin infections
Sickness and diarrhoea

Question 3

How are HAI’s caused?

Answer 3

UTI- catheters
Respiratory- intubation
Bloodstream- central venous catheter related

Question 4

What is an outbreak?

Answer 4

A case of 2 or more infections linked to a time and place

Question 5

What is the chain of infection?

Answer 5

Infectious agent
Reservoir
Portal of exit
Mode of transmission
Portal of entry
Susceptible host

Question 6

What are the infectious agents

Answer 6

Bacteria
Fungus
Virus
Prion

Question 7

What are the reservoirs of infection?

Answer 7

Humans
Equipment
Environment
Food
Animals

Question 8

What is the portal of exit?

Answer 8

Blood and body fluids
Skin
Scales/wounds
Coughing and sneezing

Question 9

What is the mode of transmission

Answer 9

Direct or indirect
Inhalation
Ingestion of contaminated food

Question 10

What is the portal of entry

Answer 10

Skin/surgical wounds
Eyes or mouth
Respiratory tract
Intestinal tract
Tubes

Question 11

What makes an individual a susceptible host?

Answer 11

Underdeveloped immune system
Decreasing immune system
Drugs or diseases
Tubes

Question 12

How do we break the mode of transmission?

Answer 12

hand hygiene
PPE
Food safety
Cleaning disinfection,sterilisation
Isolation

Question 13

How do you eliminate the reservoir of infection?

Answer 13

Clean, disinfect and sterilise
Infection and prevention policies
Pest control

Question 14

How do you break the portal of entry?

Answer 14

Hand hygiene
PPE
Personal hygiene
First aid
Remove catheters and tubes

Question 15

How do you break the susceptible host?

Answer 15

Immunise
Treat underlying disease
Patient education

Question 16

How do you stop the exit of infections?

Answer 16

Open wounds/skin
Splatter of body fluids
Aerosois

Question 17

What are the five moments for hand hygiene?

Answer 17

1. Before touching patient
2. After touching patient
3. After touching patients surroundings
4. Before aseptic procedure
5. After body fluid exposure risk

Question 18

What personal protective equipment is needed for the yellow sign transmission based precautions (contact)

Answer 18

Contact
Gloves
Apron

Question 19

What personal protective equipment is needed for the blue sign (droplet)

Answer 19

Gloves
Apron
Masks
Eye protection

Question 20

What personal protective equipment is needed for the green sign, airborne precautions

Answer 20

Gloves
Apron
masks (respirator)
Eye protection

Question 21

What is the difference between a droplet and an aerosol?

Answer 21

Droplet >5um, doesn’t spread as far due to weight

Aerosol<5um, more widespread, remains suspended in the air

Question 22

What is meant by:
Cleaning
Disinfection
Sterilisation

Answer 22

Cleaning- Physical removal of organic material and decrease in microbial load

Disinfect- Large reduction in microbe numbers

Sterilise- Removal/destruction of all microbes

Question 23

When and how do we clean, disinfect and sterilise

Answer 23

Cleaning- low risk e.g. stethoscope, detergent and water

Disinfection-medium risk e.g.speculum,heat or chemicals

Sterilisation- High risk e.g. surgery, radiation,autoclave, ethylene dioxide