Biological Agents and Infection Control

Question 1

What are healthcare associated infections?

Answer 1

infections that develop DURING HOSPITALIZATION but aren’t present or incubating

Question 2

When do HAIs develop?

Answer 2

48-72 hours after admission and within 10 days after discharge

Question 3

What are reservoirs?

Answer 3

where an infectious agent lives, grows, and multiplies

Question 4

What are the three types of reservoirs?

Answer 4

human, animal, and environmental

Question 5

What are some examples of reservoirs?

Answer 5

body fluids, respiratory secretion, touch surfaces (door handles)

Question 6

What is the Portal of Exit?

Answer 6

where the organism leaves the reservoir, such as the respiratory tract (nose or mouth), intestinal tract, blood

Question 7

What is the Portal of Entry?

Answer 7

place where an infectious agent enters the body, must provide access to tissues in which the pathogen can multiply (examples are mucous membranes, blood, skin)

usually portal of entry = portal of exit (EXCEPT PATHOGENS THAT CAUSE GASTROENTERITIS because they follow a fecal-oral route - exit through feces, enter through mouth)

Question 8

What do microorganisms include?

Answer 8

bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa

Question 9

An individual with an ACTIVE MEASLES INFECTION is a….

Answer 9

reservoir

Question 10

What are the common routes of transmission?

Answer 10

direct contact, indirect contact, airborne spread, respiratory droplets

Question 11

What are the categories of Spaulding’s Classification?

Answer 11

critical items, semi-critical items, noncritical items

Question 12

What are critical items?

Answer 12

objects that enter sterile tissue or the vascular system and are sterile before use (SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS)

Question 13

What are semi-critical items?

Answer 13

contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin and require at a minimum high-level disinfection (endoscopes, etc)

Question 14

What are noncritical items?

Answer 14

those that may come into contact with intact skin but not mucous membranes (low to intermediate disinfection), blood pressure cuffs

Question 15

What is decontamination?

Answer 15

physical/chemical means to remove/inactivate pathogens to a point where they are no longer capable of transmitting infection

Question 16

What is disinfection?

Answer 16

eliminates most pathogenic microorganisms EXCEPT bacterial spores on INAMINATE OBJECTS

Question 17

What is sterilization?

Answer 17

removal or destruction of all microorganisms and their spores

Question 18

What is antiseptic hand wash?

Answer 18

washing hands with soap and water containing an antiseptic (alcohol for example)

Question 19

What is surgical hand hygiene/antisepsis?

Answer 19

antiseptic handwash performed preoperatively by surgical personnel to eliminate organisms on the hand

Question 20

What is the correct technique for washing your hands with soap and water?

Answer 20

1. wet your hands with water
2. apply soap
3. rub hands for at least 15 seconds
4. rinse hands and dry with disposable towel
5. use towel to turn off faucet

Question 21

What is the correct technique for washing your h

Question 22

What is the correct technique for washing your hands with a hand rub?

Answer 22

1. Apply rub to one palm
2. Rub both hands together for at least 15 seconds

Question 23

Which method is more effective: using an alcohol rub or washing hands with soap and water?

Answer 23

Alcohol rub

Question 24

If there are a lot of respiratory infections going around, symptomatic people should at least be ______________________ away from others while WAITING.

Answer 24

3 feet

Question 25

What is sharps exposure?

Answer 25

performing procedures when you can’t really see!!!

blind suturing, non-dominant hand near a sharp, procedure with metal fragments/bone fragments

Question 26

What is skin exposure?

Answer 26

handling or disposal of contaminated needles and sharp objects (GETS ON SKIN)

Question 27

What is mucous membrane exposure?

Answer 27

direct blood or body fluid in open lesions, sprays of blood, into eyes/nose/mouth

Question 28

What vaccine-preventable diseases as a health care worker are most likely to contract or transmit?

Answer 28

hepatitis B, influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, varicella

Question 29

What tool requires more disinfection than the others?

Answer 29

surgical instruments

Question 30

What are the infection stages?

Answer 30

portal of entry - individual’s respiratory tract
reservoir - place where agent lives/grows
portal of exit - individual’s respiratory tract or somewhere else
susceptible host - individual at risk for developing infection

Question 31

Where does the Respiratory Hygiene strategy focus its efforts?

Answer 31

reception/triage

Question 32

Do hand lotions cause breakdown of latex gloves?

Answer 32

Some

Question 33

Do some hand lotions may hand hygiene less effective?

Answer 33

Yes

Question 34

What is the BEST method of prevention for the transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases?

Answer 34

staying up-to-date vaccines

Question 35

Which three elements are required to transmit infection in a healthcare setting?

Answer 35

source of infecting microorganisms, a susceptible host, means of transmission

Question 36

What are costs to the patient with HAI?

Answer 36

lost wages, pain, anxiety, diminished productivity

Question 37

What individuals who are more vulnerable at developing an infection?

Answer 37

elderly patients, newborns, patients taking immunosuppressive medications