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Fundamentals Of Nursing > Asepsis > Flashcards

Asepsis Flashcards

1
Q

Resident flora

A

Residential microorganisms that are peaceful, harmless & may even be beneficial in our body

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2
Q

Infection

A

When a pathogenic microorganism invades a host, spreads & multiplies, causing harm or disruption to body functions

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3
Q

Disease

A

Can be caused from an infection or genetic factors, etc… leading to disruption in the structure or function of the body developing signs & symptoms of illness

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4
Q

Virulence

A

Refers to the ability of a microorganism to cause disease in a host & how harmful or severe (pathogenicity)

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5
Q

Communicable disease

A

A disease caused by pathogenic microorganisms that can be spread directly or indirectly

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6
Q

Opportunistic pathogen

A

A microorganism that typically does not cause disease in a healthy host but can cause infection or illness when the host’s immune system is weakened or the organism gains access to normally sterile parts of the body

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7
Q

Asepsis

A

Freedom from disease causing organisms

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8
Q

Medical asepsis

A

All practices intended to confine a specific microorganism to a specific area

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9
Q

The purpose of medical asepsis

A

Limits the number, growth & transmission of microorganisms

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10
Q

Sepsis

A

Life-threatening medical condition caused by an extreme dysregulated body response to an infection

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11
Q

Surgical Asepsis

A

Sterile technique & practices that keep areas free of all microorganisms & destroy them, used for all procedures involving sterile areas of the body

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12
Q

Type of microorganisms

A
  1. Bacteria
    2, Viruses
  2. Fungi
  3. Parasites
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13
Q

Infection

A

Invasion to unprotected area

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14
Q

Is colonization of resident flora considered an infection?

A

No

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15
Q

Local infection

A

Limited to a specific body part

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16
Q

System infection

A

Spreads & damages different body parts

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17
Q

Bacteremia

A

Microorganisms in the blood

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18
Q

Septicemia

A

Systemic infection resulting from bacteremia

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19
Q

Acute infections

A

Appear suddenly or last a short period of time

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20
Q

Chronic infections

A

May occur slowly & last months or years

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21
Q

What leads to Health care associated infections?

A
  1. Nosocomial
  2. Endogenous
  3. Exogenous
  4. Diagnostic or therapeutic procedures
  5. Compromised host
  6. Poor hand hygiene
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22
Q

What is Endogenous & Exogenous infections?

A
  1. Endogenous - infections occurring internally or caused internally in the body
  2. Exogenous - infections caused externally an external factor caused it
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23
Q

Iatrogenic infections

A

Infections caused from diagnostic or therapeutic procedures

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24
Q

What is the chain of infection?

A
  1. Etiologic Agent
  2. Reservoir
  3. Portal of exit
  4. Mode of transmission
  5. portal of entry
  6. susceptible host
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25
Q

Etiologic agent characteristics

A
  • Number of microorganisms present
  • virulence & potency/pathogenicity
  • ability to enter the body
  • susceptibility of the host
  • ability to live in the host’s body
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26
Q

What is the Reservoir?

A
  • other humans
  • clients own microorganisms
  • plants
  • animals
  • general environment
  • must have portal of exit
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27
Q

Methods of transmission of infection

A
  1. Direct transmission
  2. Indirect transmission ⇾ vehicle borne & vector borne
  3. Airborne transmission
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28
Q

Direct transmission

A

From carrier to susceptible host directly

29
Q

Indirect transmission

A
  • something carries the pathogen from carrier to susceptible host
    1) vehicle borne : the spread of infectious agents through inanimate objects or substances that carry pathogen
    2) Vector borne : the spread of infectious disease through vectors, which are typically living organisms that carry pathogens. These vectors do not typically cause the disease themselves but act as carriers, facilitating transmission
30
Q

Airborne transmission

A

The spread of infectious agents through tiny particles or droplets suspended in the air & can be inhaled into the respiratory tract of a susceptible person. Those pathogens can travel long distances & remain in the air for extended periods

31
Q

Characteristics of the portal & susceptibility links

A
  • the portal of entry is a necessary link between the etiologic agent & susceptible host
  • the susceptibility of the host
32
Q

What are the types of body defenses?

A
  1. Nonspecific defenses
  2. Specific immune defenses
33
Q

Nonspecific defenses

A

The body’s first line of defense against pathogens, They’re general in nature, not specifically targeted at a particular pathogen. They provide immediate protection without requiring prior exposure to the invader

34
Q

Specific immune defenses

A

The body’s specialized response to pathogens. They’re highly targeted & tailored to specific invaders. Adaptive immunity has a memory, therefore it responds more effectively to previously encountered pathogens

35
Q

What are our body’s nonspecific barriers?

A
  • intact skin
  • Mucous membranes
  • cilia
  • alveolar macrophages
  • saliva
  • tears
  • high acidity of stomach
  • resident flora of large intestine
  • peristalsis
  • low pH of vagina
  • urine flow through urethra
36
Q

What is peristalsis?

A

Organ’s involuntary muscle contraction

37
Q

What is an Inflammatory response?

A

When the first line of defense is breached, inflammation response is activated. It is the secondary defense mechanism, complementing nonspecific barriers.

38
Q

What are the signs of an inflammatory response?

A
  • inflammation
  • pain
  • swelling
  • redness
  • heat
  • impaired function
39
Q

What are the stages of an inflammatory response?

A

1st stage ⇾ leukocytes are produced & increased. A vascular & cellular response
2nd stage ⇾ Exudate production
3rd stage ⇾ Reparative phase & regeneration, which occurs through granulation tissue

40
Q

Leukocyte

A

White blood cells

41
Q

Leukocytosis

A

A condition characterized by an elevated leukocyte count in the blood, typically above the normal range

42
Q

Granulation tissue

A

New connective tissue & microscopic blood vessel that form on the surface of a wound during the healing process. Repairing by filling wound space & protecting area from infection

43
Q

Antigen

A

A substance that triggers immune response

44
Q

Autoantigen

A

The substance that gets mistaken by the immune system as harmful despite being harmless, like DNA or protein, causing immune system activation over a false alarm. This might lead to immunodeficiency disease

45
Q

Antibody-mediated defenses

A

This defense response’s key component is immunoglobulins, which bind to antigens. Another name for this defense is Humoral immunity. It is a part of specific defenses.

46
Q

What are the two types of Humoral immunity?

A
  1. Active immunity
  2. Passive immunity
47
Q

What are the two types of Active immunity?

A
  1. Natural Active Immunity : antibodies formed in presence of active infection in body & is life long
  2. Artificial Active Immunity : antigens are administered to stimulate antibody formation & lasts many years
48
Q

What is a booster?

A

An additional dose of vaccine given to enhance immune response when administering artificial active immunity.

49
Q

What are the two types of passive immunity?

A
  1. Nature passive immunity : antibodies transferred naturally from mother to baby through placenta or in colostrum & lasts 6 months ⇾ year
  2. Artificial passive immunity : occurs when immune serum or antibody is injected from an animal or other human & lasts 2 ⇾ 3 weeks
50
Q

What are the factors that increase susceptibility to infection?

A
  • age
  • heredity
  • nature, number & duration of stressor
  • nutrition
  • medications (some)
  • medical treatments or procedures
  • disease that reduce resistance
51
Q

What do we first assess the client for & why?

A

We first assess client’s history.
We do this to identify :
The degree of risk of infection
Complaints suggesting presence of infection

52
Q

What do we assess for when performing a physical assessment?

A
  • localized swelling
  • pain or tenderness with palpation or movement
  • localized redness
  • palpable heat in infected area
  • anorexia
  • loss of function of affected body part
  • nausea & vomiting
  • fever
  • Enlargement & tenderness of lymph nodes
  • increased pulse & respiratory rate if fever is high
  • malaise & loss of energy
53
Q

What do we assess laboratory data for?

A
  • Elevated WBC
  • Increase in specific WBC types
  • elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
  • cultures of urine, blood, sputum, or other drainage
54
Q

How do we implement the reduction process of risk of infection?

A

We prevent nosocomial infections by implementing :
- proper hand hygiene techniques
- environmental controls
- sterile technique when required
- identification & management of clients at risk
- donning & removing PPE

55
Q

How do we break the chain of infection through the etiologic agent?

A
  • by correctly cleaning, disinfecting or sterilizing articles before use
  • educating clients & support persons about appropriate methods to clean, disinfect & sterilize article
56
Q

How do we break the chain of infection through the reservoir?

A
  • by changing dressings & bandages when soiled or wet
  • appropriate skin & oral hygiene
  • disposing of damp, soiled linens appropriately
  • disposing of feces & urine in appropriate receptacles
  • ensuring that all fluid containers are covered or capped
  • emptying suction & drainage bottles at the end of each shift or before full or according to agency
57
Q

How do we break the chain of infection through the portal of exit?

A
  • avoiding talking, coughing or sneezing over open wounds or sterile fields
  • covering the mouth & nose when coughing or sneezing
58
Q

How do we break the chain of infection through the method of transmission?

A
  • proper hand hygiene
  • teach clients & support persons to perform hand hygiene before handling food, eating, after eliminating & after touching infectious material
  • wearing gloves when handling secretions & excretions
  • wearing gowns if danger of soiling clothing with body substances
  • placing discarded soiled materials in moisture-proof refuse bags
  • holding used bedpans steady to prevent spillage
  • disposing of urine & feces in appropriate receptacles
  • initiating & implementing aseptic precautions for all clients
  • wearing masks & goggles when close to clients with infections transmitted by respiratory droplets
  • wearing masks & eye protection when sprays of body fluid are possible
59
Q

How do we break the chain of infection through the portal of entry?

A
  • using sterile technique for invasive procedures, exposing open wounds or handling dressings
  • placing used disposable needles & syringes in puncture resistant containers for disposal
  • providing clients with separate personal care items
60
Q

How do we break the chain of infection through the susceptible host?

A
  • maintaining integrity of clients skin & mucous membranes
  • ensuring a balanced diet & adequate fluids
  • educating the public about immunizations
  • encourage deep, slow breathing & movement, plus adequate rest & sleep
  • offer stress management strategies
61
Q

What do we use for chemical preparation of a wound or injury?

A

An antiseptic

62
Q

What do we use for chemical preparation of a surface?

A

A disinfectant (toxic to tissues)

63
Q

What are the category specific isolation precautions?

A
  1. strict isolation
  2. contact isolation
  3. respiratory isolation / tuberculosis isolation
  4. enteric precautions
  5. drainage & secretions precautions
  6. blood & body fluid precautions
64
Q

Standard precautions

A

Designed for all clients to decrease risk of transmitting recognized or unrecognized sources of infection & it applies to :
- all body fluids but sweat
- nonintact skin
- mucous membranes

65
Q

Transmission-based precautions

A

For known or suspected infections that spread through → contact, airborne or droplet
used alone or in combination but always in addition to standard precaution

66
Q

How do we implement personal protective equipment?

A

By applying :
- gloves
- gowns
- face masks
- eyewear

67
Q

What are the most commonly used methods for sterilization?

A
  • moist heat
  • gas
  • boiling water
  • radiation
68
Q

What are the disease specific isolation precautions?

A
  • private rooms with special ventilation
  • having the client share a room with other clients infected with the same organism
  • gowning to prevent gross soilage of clothes for specific infectious diseases.

Fundamentals Of Nursing (9 decks)

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