Chapter 11-Infection Control Flashcards
Types of pathogens
Bacteria: staph, E. coli, mycobacterium tuberculosis
Viruses: HIV, hepatitis, herpes zoster, HSV
Fungi: molds and yeasts
Prions colon protein particles
Parasites: malaria, toxoplasmosis, flatworms, roundworms
What is virulence?
The ability of a pathogen to invade and injure a host
Herpes zoster
Common viral infection that irrupt’s years after exposure to chickenpox and invades a specific nerve tract.
Native immunity
Restricts entry or immediately responds to a foreign organism through the activation of different cells. Example: rejection of organ transplants
Passive immunity
Antibodies are produced by an external source. Example: immunizations or antibodies through breast milk.
Specific adaptive immunity
Allows body to make antibodies in response to a foreign organism. Example: when someone recovers from chicken pox the body has memory of how it fought it off.
Chain of infection
Causative agent (pathogen)
Reservoir (means of entry such as human, food, animal, organic matter)
Portal of exit (respiratory tract, GI tract, skin, body fluids)
Mode of transmission (contact, droplet, airborne, vector borne)
Portal of entry (might be the same as portal of exit)
Susceptible host (compromised defense mechanisms)
Stages of infection
Incubation: interval between pathogen entering and presentation of first finding
Prodromal stage: interval from onset of findings to more distinct findings
Illness stage: when findings are specific to infection
Convalescence: interval when acute findings disappear
What is an HAI?
Hospital acquired infection
Examples are UTI, pneumonia, ventilator infections
People at higher risk for infection
Caregivers that don’t follow handwashing, clients who have poor personal hygiene, poor nutrition, clients who smoke, drink alcohol, experience stress, clients that live in crowded environments, older adult clients, unprotected sex, IV drugs and sharing needles, clients Who have been exposed to poor sanitation, parasitic diseases, diseases in certain countries.
Findings in client with infection
Fever, chills, sweating, increased pulse and respiratory rate, malaise, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, cramping and diarrhea, enlarged lymph nodes.
Older adults:
May experience agitation confusion or incontinence
Inflammation:
is redness, warmth, edema, pain, tenderness, loss of use to an effected area.
What is serous fluid?
Clear drainage
What is sanguinous drainage?
Drainage that contains red blood cells.
What is purulent drainage?
Maybe pinkish in color generally infected
What is serous- sanguinous discharge?
Maybe pink and color but less infected looking. It is a mixture of clear drainage and bloody drainage.
Standard precautions
Using hand hygiene, used when coming into contact with bodily fluids except sweat, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes.
Masks, eye protection, and face shields are required when care might cause splashing or spraying of bodily fluids.
Airborne precautions
Requires: private room, masks such as N 95 or high efficiency particulate air respirator HEPA.
Visitors must wear masks
Negative pressure airflow room for at least 6 to 12 exchanges per hour
If splashing or spraying is a possibility, wear full face protection.
If leaving the room clients must wear a mask.
Droplet precautions
Private room or a room with other clients who have the same infectious disease
Clients have their own equipment
Masks for providers and visitors
Wearing a mask while outside of the room.
Contact precautions
Require private room or room with other clients who have same infection
Gloves and gowns worn by caregivers and visitors
Dispose of infectious dressing material into single non-porous bag without touching outside of the bag.
Protective environment such as neutropenic patients
Private room, positive airflow, HEPA filtration, mask for clients
Antipyretics
Used for fever and discomfort such as acetaminophen and aspirin
Anti-microbial therapy
Kills or inhibit the growth of micro organisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoans.
Effectiveness is shown with reduce fever, increased level of comfort, or decreasing WBC count.
Transporting a client
If transporting is unavoidable the nurse takes precautions to ensure that the environment is not contaminated.
Reporting communicable diseases
There are more than 60 communicable diseases that must be reported to public health departments. It is a nurses responsibility to help identify these.
Client education
Teach clients about any infection control measures at home, self administration of medication therapy, and complications to report immediately.
