6. Infection Prevention Flashcards
1
Q
What causes infections?
A
pathogens or harmful microorganisms
2
Q
Localized vs Systemic infections [STAR]
A
- localized: infection limited to a specific location in the body
- systemic: infection that is in the bloodstream and is spread throughout the body
3
Q
an infection acquired within a healthcare setting during delivery of medical care [STAR]
A
healthcare-associated infection (HAI)
4
Q
Signs and sxs of localized infection
A
- redness
- swelling
- pain
- heat
5
Q
Signs and sxs of systemic infection
A
- fever
- chills
- N/V/D
- changes in vital signs
- headache
- mental confusion
6
Q
In what type of conditions do pathogens grow best in?
A
warm, dark, and moist places where food is present and in hosts with low resistance
7
Q
communicable vs non-communicable diseases
A
- communicable: transited by direct contact or indirect contact with an infected person
- non-communicable: disease not capable of being spread from one person to another
8
Q
type of communicable disease that spreads quickly from person to person
A
contagious disease
9
Q
physical movement or transfer of harmful bacteria from one person, object, or place to another or from one part of the body to another [STAR]
A
cross-infection
10
Q
refers to practices such as hand washing that reduce, remove, and control the spread of microorganisms
A
medical asepsis
11
Q
Disinfection vs Sterilization [STAR]
A
- disinfection: destroys most pathogens but not all of them
- sterilization: destroys all microorganisms including those that form spores
12
Q
What equipment is used in the sterilization process?
A
an autoclave
13
Q
state of being completely free of microorganisms
A
surgical asepsis/steril technique
14
Q
When should CNAs wash their hands in clean and dirty/contaminated utility rooms?
A
- clean utility rooms: wash hands before entering the room
- dirty/contaminated utility rooms: wash hands before leaving the room
15
Q
List the 6 links in the chain of infection [STAR]
A
- link 1: causative agent
- link 2: reservoir
- link 3: portal of exit
- link 4: mode of transmission
- link 5: portal of entry
- link 6: susceptible host
16
Q
When could normal flora cause an infection?
A
when it enters a different part of the body
17
Q
What is an incubation period?
A
time between exposure to the pathogen and time it causes visible signs and symptoms
18
Q
What is a carrier?
A
a person who carries a disease, but usually doesn’t show any signs or symptoms at the time they spread the disease
19
Q
Name 3 main routes of disease transmission [STAR]
A
contact, droplet, and airborne
20
Q
What is the primary route of disease transmission within the healthcare setting [STAR]
A
on the hands of healthcare workers
21
Q
Give some examples of body fluids (9 total)
A
- tears
- saliva
- sputum
- urine
- feces
- semen
- vaginal secretions
- pus or other wound drainage
- vomit
22
Q
How far do droplets usually travel?
A
no more than 6 feet
23
Q
What are some general reasons for lower resistance to diseases?
A
age, existing illnesses, fatigue, poor nutrition, lack of adequate fluid intake, certain medications, and stress
24
Q
Give several reasons why the elderly are at a higher risk for infection
A
- hospitalized more (increased chances for HAI)
- skin tears delay healing process
- brittle and broken bones increase risk for infection
- increased use of catheters and other tubing
- higher risk of malnutrition and dehydration
25
What does following standard precautions mean?
treating blood, body fluids, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes as if they were infected
26
What body fluid do standard precautions not include? [STAR]
sweat
27
T/F - you should recap needles or sharps after use
False - risk of sticking yourself; dispose of them in a biohazard container
28
Where does OSHA recommend biohazard waste be disposed?
at the point of origin or where the waste occurs
29
Where should you cough/sneeze if you don't have a tissue? [STAR]
into your upper sleeve or elbow
30
T/F - hands should be washed using plain or antimicrobial soap and water when visibly soiled
True
31
What does PPE include? [STAR]
gloves, gowns, masks, goggles, and face shields
32
Don vs doff
- don: put on PPE correctly
| - doff: remove PPE correctly
33
What types of non-sterile gloves are used?
nitrile, vinyl, or latex
34
When should gloves be changed?
when they become wet, worn, soiled, or torn and also before contact with mucous membranes or broken skin
35
T/F - you don't have to wash hands between removing old gloves and donning new ones
False - wash hands in between
36
Double barrier
covering a non-intact area with a bandage/gauze before putting on gloves
37
PPE that protect skin and clothing from contamination
gowns
38
PPE that prevent inhalation of microorganisms through the nose or mouth
masks
39
What is the main factor that determines what type of PPE must be worn?
the type of exposure that may be encountered
40
Which PPE should be removed first: gloves, mask, or goggles? [STAR]
gloves are removed first
41
What are respirators?
special PPE masks that have a filter that protect the face and lungs
42
When are respirators removed?
after leaving the resident's room and closing the door
43
What parts of the mask or goggles are considered clean and can be touched with ungloved hands? [STAR]
the pieces used to secure them to the head
44
CDC's second level of precautions beyond standard precautions - used for persons who are infected or may be infected with certain infected diseases [STAR]
Transmission-Based Precautions
45
Give an example of an airborne pathogen carried on mucous droplets suspended in the air
TB
46
Name the room residents with airborne infections will be placed in
airborne-infection isolation room (AIIR)
47
Name ways in which both air and droplets can travel from an infected person
talking, coughing, laughing, sneezing, and singing
48
What precautions must a resident with TB take when leaving their room?
must wear regular surgical masks to help reduce number of droplets they exhale into the air
49
Give an example of a disease spread through droplets
influenza
50
Give 2 examples of diseases that require contact precautions
conjunctivitis and C. diff
51
Give 2 examples of diseases that require isolation
TB and chickenpox
52
In healthcare, what is the most common way to be infected with a bloodborne disease? [STAR]
contact with infected blood or body fluids
53
What types of waste are considered infectious?
blood, body fluids, and human tissue
54
OSHA considers what situations to carry significant exposure to infectious materials? [STAR]
- exposure by injection (needle stick)
- mucous membrane contact
- cut from an object containing potentially infections body fluid (includes human bites)
- having non-intact skin (OHSA includes acne)
55
outlines specific work practices to prevent exposure to infectious material and identifies step-by-step procedures to follow when exposures do occur
exposure control plan
56
2 examples of major bloodborne diseases [STAR]
acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and viral hepatitis
57
How is HIV transmitted?
by blood (infected needles, and from mother to fetus) and is also a STI`
58
Which types of hepatitis are bloodborne? Which types of hepatitis are the most common? [STAR]
Bloodborne: hepatitis B and C
| Most common: hepatitis A, B, and C
59
How is hepatitis A (HAV) transmitted?
fecal-oral route (through food or water contaminated by stool from infected person)
60
Which types of hepatitis have vaccines? [STAR]
hepatitis A and B only
61
How is hepatitis B (HBV) transmitted?
- through sexual contact
- sharing infected needles
- from mother to baby during delivery
- through improperly sterilized needles used for tattoos and piercings
- through grooming supplies (razors, nail clippers, and toothbrushes)
- accidental contact w/ infected needles or other sharps or from splashing blood at work
62
How is hepatitis C (HCV) transmitted?
through blood or bodily fluids
63
How is hepatitis D (HDV) transmitted? What must a person have in order to get HDV?
transmitted through blood; person must already have HBV to get HDV
64
How is hepatitis E transmitted?
fecal-oral route, mostly through contaminated water
65
What are some symptoms of hepatitis in general?
fatigue, N/V, jaundice, dark urine, lack of appetite, joint pain, and ABD pain
66
microorganisms, mostly bacteria, that are resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents that are commonly used for tx [STAR]
multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs)
67
Name 2 common types of MDROs [STAR]
methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE)
68
HA-MRSA vs CA-MRSA
- HA-MRSA: hospital associated MRSA
- CA-MRSA: community associated MRSA; occurs in people who have not recently been admitted to healthcare facility and who have no past dx of MRSA
69
How does CA-MRSA typically manifest?
skin infections such as boils or pimples
70
How is MRSA almost always spread? What might happen to a resident with MRSA? [STAR]
spread by direct physical contact with infected person; resident may be placed in contact isolation depending upon site of the infection
71
What is the most important measure to prevent spread of MRSA? What other method may be used?
- most important measure is handwashing using soap and water
| - may also use chlorhexidine (CHG) bathing
72
What does VRE stand for? [STAR]
vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
73
bacteria that live in the digestive and genital tracts that normally don't cause problems in healthy people
enterococci
74
How is VRE spread? What might happen to a resident with VRE? [STAR]
spread through direct and indirect contact; residents may be placed in contact isolation
75
spore-forming bacterium which can be part of the normal intestinal flora [STAR]
clostridium difficile (C. diff)
76
What increases the risk of developing C. diff?
enemas, NG tube insertion, GI tract surgery, and overuse of antibiotics (may alter the normal intestinal flora)
77
T/F - alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective against C. diff
False - only soap and water
78
Sx of C. diff
- frequent, foul-smelling, watery stools
- bloody diarrhea
- fever
- nausea
- lack of appetite
- ABD pain
79
Tx of C. diff
- certain antibiotics
- discontinuing use of other antibiotics
- possibly a fecal transplant
80
What does CRE stand for? [STAR]
carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae
81
List 2 examples of enterobaacteriaceae
klebsiella and escherichia coli (E. coli)
82
How is CRE normally spread? [STAR]
through direct contact with an infected person, especially with person's wounds or stool
83
T/F - CRE has been shown to have a high death rate, up to 50%
True
84
What is a complication of influenza that the elderly are at higher risk of developing?
pneumonia
85
Which virus causes the most cases of acute gastroenteritis in the US?
norovirus
86
Sx of norovirus
N/V/D, ABD pain, fever, HA, and body aches
87
What is the range of infections that group A. streptococcus (GAS) can cause?
range from mild (strep throat or impetigo) to serious (pneumonia or necrotizing fasciitis)
88
object that has been contaminated with a pathogen; part of indirect contact [STAR]
fomite
89
Standard precautions must be used on who? [STAR]
every single person you care for
90
How should you carry soiled linens? [STAR]
away from your body
