Ch 10 Objectives

Question 1

Define medical asepsis

Answer 1

• Deals with reducing the probability of infectious organisms being transmitted to a susceptible individual.
• The fewer organisms to which a patient is exposed, the more likely it is that he or she will resist infection - The process of reducing the total number of organisms is called microbial dilution and can be accomplished at several levels.

Question 2

Define disinfection

Answer 2

• Second level of medical asepsis.
• Involves the destruction of pathogens by using chemical materials.

Question 3

Define isolation

Answer 3

Isolation policies consist of category specific system with seven different types of isolation, or a disease specific system. (CDC)
Isolation guidelines are designed to reduce the risk of airborne, droplet, and contact transmission.
Can be used separately or in combination for diseases with multiple routes of transmission MUST be used with standard precautions.

Question 4

State five examples of personal hygiene that help to prevent the spread of infection

Answer 4

Bathe and wash hair regularly
Wear clean uniforms or scrubs with duty shoes
Pay attention to fingernails, watch bands, intricate jewelry, and shoelaces
Change soiled clothing before continuing work
No artitifial nail
Do not report to duty when affected by: contagious skin diseases, fever, vomiting, diarrhea within 24 hours, acute URI, any other communicable diseases

Question 5

Demonstrate techniques for effective hand hygiene

Answer 5

Referred to as the decontamination of the hands using soap and water, hand wash, or an alcohol based hand rub.
First step in medical asepsis/microbial dilution
Alcohol based hand rub (a preparation in the form of a gel, rinse, or foam containing 60% to 95% isopropanol or ethanol alcohol)
Use for about 15 seconds
HAND RUBS CANNOT DESTROY CDIFF AND BACILLUS ANTRACIS

Question 6

Describe or demonstrate the correct method of linen disposal using medical asepsis principles

Answer 6

Any linen used by patients should be handled as little as possible.
To prevent airborne contamination, fold the edges of linens to the middle without shaking or flapping, and immediately place loosely balled linens in the hamper.
Placed in plastic bags
THE ONLY EXCEPTION for disposable items involves the immediate reuse of an unsterile item (for example, an emesis basin) by the same patient.

Question 7

Name the agent and state the dilution used for disinfecting radiographic equipment, as recommended by the centers of disease control and prevention (CDC)

Question 8

Demonstrate proper disposal of contaminated items in the clinical area

Question 9

Compare and contrast isolation techniques for infectious patients with those for immunodeficient patients

Question 10

Demonstrate removal and disposal of gown, gloves, and mask without breaking isolation principles

Answer 10

DON - hand hygiene, don cap or hood, make sure all hair is covered, don mask, put on gown, fasten gown securely, don protective gloves, place IR in protective cover.
DOFF - try to remove the gown and gloves as one unit, so that you never have contact with the contaminated surface, untie mask strings, cap, repeat hand hygiene.