Asepsis

Question 1

Identify anatomic and physiologic barriers that defend the body against microorganisms.

Answer 1

First line- Skin, mucous membranes, and bodies natural flora.
Inflamitory and immune response

Question 2

Identify six links in the chain of infection

Answer 2

Infectious agent

Reservoir- enviorment that supports multiplication of microrganisms such as other people, soil, animals, foods, water, milk, and inanimate objects

Portal of exit- The escape point of the resovoir it could be

Means of transmission- can be direct contact(toughing, kissing, sex) or indirect through a vector/Fomite. A vector is a living being likely an insect that carries a disese or a Formit somethong nonliveing like a dirty countertop.

Portal of entry- Skin, urinary, respiratory, and gastrointestinal.

Susceptible host

Question 3

Identify populations at risk for acquiring an infection.

Answer 3

Broken skin integrity
low pH levels, low WBC
Age, sex, race

Question 4

Identify causal factors of nosocomial infections.

Answer 4

(Nosocomial) Hospital aquired infection
Catheter associated UTI’s, surgical site infections, vent associated pneumonia, central line associated blood stream infections

Most caused by bacteria

Antibiotic Resistant organisms:
C-diff
MRSA
VISA/VRSA
VRE
CRE

Question 5

What are some signs of localized infections?

systemic Infectious?

Answer 5

Localized infection
Redness, swelling, warmth, pain, drainage

Systemic infection
Fever (chills)

Increase in HR and RR

Lethargy

Anorexia

Enlargement of lymph nodes that drain into the area where infection is present

Hypotension, signs of poor perfusion to organs (Septic shock

Question 6

What Laboratory Data might Indicate Infection?

Answer 6

Elevated white blood cell count-

Increase in specific types of white blood cells (Box 24-6)

Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Presence of pathogen in urine, blood, sputum, or draining cultures

Question 7

Discuss the Occupation Safety Health Administration’s (OSHA) influence on health care workers in preventing needle sticks.

Answer 7

OSHA- created the “Needlestick saftey and prevention act which requires 1. health care providers to Identify and provide safer medical devices to reduce injuryies from sharps. 2.Involve health care workers in the selection of these devices. 3.provide sharp disposal containers and sheathing needles. 4.educate employees and 5. keep a sharps injury log

Question 8

Transmission-based precautions-

Answer 8

Transmission-based precautions- used in addition to standard precautions for patients with suspected infection

Question 9

What are some examples of standard precautions

Answer 9

Follow hand hygiene techniques.

Wear clean non-sterile gloves when touching blood, etc..

Wear PPE during activities that are likely to generate splashes or sprays of body fluids or when contact with potentially infectious material is likely.

Follow respiratory hygeine/ cough etiquette.

Avoid recapping used needles.

Use safe injection practices.

Wear face mask if placing a catheter or injecting material into the spinal or epidural space

Handle used patient care equipment that is soiled with blood or identified body fluids, secretions, and excretions carefully.

Use adequate environmental controls.

Review room assignments carefully.

Question 10

What are some contact precautions?

Answer 10

Place in private room, if possible.

Wear PPE whenever you enter the room for all interactions that may involve contact with patient and potentially contaminated area in patient environment. Remove PPE before leaving the patient environment.
Limit movement of the patient out of the room.

Avoid sharing patient-care equipment

Question 11

What are the three types of Transmission-based precautions-

Answer 11

Transmission-based precautions- used in addition to standard precautions for patients with suspected infection

Examples

1. Airborne
2. Droplet
3. contact

Question 12

What are Standard precautions-

Answer 12

Standard precautions- used in care of all hospitalized patients regardless of diagnosis or possible infection status

Apply to:
 Blood, 
All body fluids, 
Secretions and Excretions, except sweat, (whether or not blood is present or visible) 
Nonintact skin
Mucous membranes
Additions:
Respiratory Hygiene/ Cough Etiquette

Safe injection practices

Directions for mask in high-risk procedures

Question 13

Transmission-based precautions-

Answer 13

Transmission-based precautions- used in addition to standard precautions for patients with suspected infection

Question 14

What are some airborne precautions?

Answer 14

Place in private room with negative air pressure.

Use respiratory protection (Type N95). (Transport out of room only when necessary..patient wears surgical mask).

Question 15

Discuss what is meant by Standard Precautions and transmission-based precautions and why these precautions are used.

Answer 15

Standard precautions- used in care of all hospitalized patients regardless of diagnosis or possible infection status

Transmission-based precautions- used in addition to standard precautions for patients with suspected infection

Question 16

Describe guidelines for maintaining medical asepsis.

Answer 16

Medical asepsis(clean technique) are considered contaminated if they bear or suspect they bear pathogens.

Surgical asepsis(sterile technique) areas are considered contaminated if they touch any item that is not also sterile.

Question 17

Describe guidelines for maintaining Surgical asepsis.

Answer 17

Medical asepsis(clean technique) are considered contaminated if they bear or suspect they bear pathogens.

Surgical asepsis(sterile technique) areas are considered contaminated if they touch any item that is not also sterile.

Question 18

neutropenic precautions

What are they?

When do we use them?

Answer 18

neutropenic precautions- low neutrophils are a type of white blood cell.
Nurses use on patients whos immune system is comprimised like after organ transplantation, chemo theropy.

Question 19

neutropenic precautions

What are some examples?

Answer 19

No potted plants or fresh flowers

N95 mask when patient leaves

Ensure health care provider, and visiting freinds/family are healthy

Avoid collections of water in room like humidifiers

Follow hospital proticals

Question 20

Protective enviorment CDC currently recommends it use for_____ ____ _____ ______ patients

Answer 20

Protective enviorment CDC currently recommends it use for Allogenic Hematopoetic stem cell transplant patients

Question 21

Latex allergy __% of Healthcare workers and _% General population are sensitized:

Answer 21

Latex allergy 10% of Healthcare workers and 2% General population are sensitized:

Question 22

What are some Basic Principles of Surgical Asepsis?

Answer 22

Only sterile object can touch another sterile object
Open sterile packages away from body; outside of the sterile package is considered contaminated
A wet field is considered contaminated if the surface immediately below it is not sterile
Hold sterile objects above waist level
Avoid talking, coughing, sneezing or reaching over a sterile field or object
Never walk away or turn your back on a sterile field
All items brought into contact with broken skin, used to penetrate the skin, or used to enter a normally sterile field should be sterile
Use dry sterile forceps when necessary
Consider outer edge of sterile field to be contaminated
Consider an object contaminated if you have any doubt about it’s sterility