Asepsis Flashcards
What does the term ‘asepsis’ mean?
The absence of disease-producing microorganisms.
Asepsis refers to the state of being free from pathogens that can cause disease.
What is the primary goal of medical asepsis?
To decrease the possibility of transferring microorganisms.
Medical asepsis involves techniques to reduce the number of pathogens.
Which techniques are examples of medical asepsis?
- Changing client’s bed linen daily
- Handwashing
- Barrier techniques
- Routine environmental cleaning
These practices help maintain cleanliness and reduce infection risk.
What must a nurse understand when working with a sterile field?
The slightest break in technique results in contamination.
Strict adherence to sterile techniques is crucial in surgical settings.
What are the two types of asepsis?
- Medical Asepsis
- Surgical Asepsis
Medical asepsis reduces pathogens, while surgical asepsis eliminates all microorganisms.
In surgical asepsis, what must be done to maintain sterility?
All areas must be kept as free as possible of infectious microorganisms.
This includes using sterile instruments and supplies.
What is disinfection?
The elimination of pathogenic organisms on inanimate objects, except for bacterial spores.
Disinfection may not kill all noninfectious microorganisms.
List the methods of disinfection.
- Physical (boiling)
- Chemical (disinfectants)
Both methods are effective for different scenarios in infection control.
What is the process of sterilization?
The elimination and destruction of all microorganisms, including spores and viruses.
Sterilization is crucial for surgical instruments and certain medical procedures.
What are some common chemical disinfectants?
- Phenolics
- 70%-75% Ethyl or Isopropyl Alcohol
- Halogens
- Glutardehyde
- Quaternary ammonium compounds
- Diguanides
These disinfectants have varying effectiveness against different pathogens.
What are essential factors for effective disinfection?
- Cleanliness of items
- Unlocking all locked instruments
- Complete immersion of articles
These factors ensure that disinfection processes are thoroughly effective.
What is the purpose of wearing gloves in infection prevention?
To protect the hands from contamination and prevent the transfer of microorganisms.
Gloves are essential in various clinical settings.
Fill in the blank: The first responsibility of the nurse is to _______.
[do no harm]
This principle emphasizes the importance of safety in patient care.
What does the ‘Body Substance Isolation System’ (BSIS) entail?
A set of infection prevention measures including hand washing, wearing gloves, and using protective clothing.
BSIS is designed to protect both healthcare providers and patients from infection.
True or False: The nurse is responsible for providing a safe environment for the client.
True.
Ensuring a safe environment is a fundamental duty of nursing.
What is the significance of Florence Nightingale’s principles in infection control?
Emphasizes the importance of meticulousness in procedures to prevent infections.
Nightingale’s work laid the foundation for modern nursing practices.
