ATI Infection Control Flashcards
airborne precautions
- measures to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted by pathogens propelled through the air on particles smaller than 5 µm in size to a susceptible person’s eyes, nose, or mouth
- N95, negative-airflow room
- pulmonary tuberculosis
antibody
protein the immune system produces to neutralize a threat of some kind: infecting organism, chemical, or some other foreign body
antimicrobial
able to destroy or suppress the growth of pathogens and other micro-organisms
antiseptic
substance that reduces the number of pathogens present on a surface
asepsis
methods used to make an environment is as pathogen-free as possible
aseptic
as pathogen-free as possible
bacteriostasis
inhibition of further bacterial growth
chlorhexidine
- antibacterial compound with substantial residual activity
- used as a liquid antiseptic and disinfectant
contact precautions
- measures to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted by the physical transfer of pathogens to a susceptible host’s body surface
- gloves and gowns
- MRSA, VRE, C diff (wash hands with soap and water after), wound infections, herpes simplex
contamination
the process of becoming unsterile or unclean
disinfectant
any chemical agent used to destroy or inhibit the growth of harmful organisms
droplet precautions
- measures to prevent spread of diseases by pathogens propelled through the air on particles larger than 5 µm to a susceptible person’s eyes, nose, or mouth
- droplets travel 3-6 ft
- surgical mask
- Mycoplasma pneumonia and influenza
endemic
prevalent in or characteristic of a particular environment
endogenous
produced within an organism or system rather than externally caused
epidemic
extremely prevalent or widespread
exogenous
externally caused rather than produced within an organism or system
flora
the aggregate of bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms normally found in a particular environment (i.e. gastrointestinal tract or skin)
hyperendemic
at an especially high level of continued incidence in a population
immunosuppression
- inhibition of the body’s protective response to pathogenic invasion
- usually a result of disease, drug therapy, or surgery
infection
invasion and proliferation of pathogens in body tissues
isolation
separation of an infected person from others for the period of communicability of a particular disease
latex
a milky fluid produced by rubber trees that is processed into a variety of products, including gloves used for patient care
medical asepsis
infection-control practices common in healthcare, such as basic handwashing
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
a bacterial strain that has become resistant to the antibiotic methicillin, a form of penicillin
pathogen
any disease-producing agent, especially a virus, bacterium, or fungus
personal protective equipment (PPE)
devices used to protect employees from workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from biological, chemical, radiological, physical, electric, mechanical, or other workplace hazards
pneumococcal
pertaining to or caused by pneumococci, organisms of the species Streptococcus pneumoniae, a common cause of pneumonia and other infectious diseases
retrovirus
any of a large group of RNA-based viruses that tend to infect immunocompromised individuals, including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and many cancer-causing viruses
sepsis
the presence in blood or other tissues of pathogens or their toxins
standard precautions
- measures to prevent transmission of organisms
- used for all patients in health care facilities regardless of diagnosis or infection status
staphylococcus
- a genus of gram-positive bacteria that are potential pathogens
- cause local lesions and serious opportunistic infections
surgical asepsis
techniques used to destroy all pathogenic organisms, also called sterile technique
transmission-based precautions
- measures to prevent spread of diseases that are not blocked by standard precautions
- airborne, droplet, and contact precautions
vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)
a bacterial strain that’s resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin
