Chapter 2 - Medical Asepsis and the OSHA Standard

Question 1

aerobe (Air-obe)

Answer 1

a microorganism which grows in the presence of air or requires oxygen for growth.

Question 2

anaerobe (An-er-obe)

Answer 2

an organism that grows without air, or requires oxygen-free conditions to live.

Question 3

antiseptic (septic = infection)

Answer 3

an agent that inhibits the growth of or kills microorganisms

Question 4

cilia (SIL-ee-ah)

Answer 4

slender, hairlike projections that constantly beat toward the outside to remove microorganisms from the body

Question 5

hand hygiene

Answer 5

the practice of cleansing or sanitizing the hands

Question 6

infection

Answer 6

the condition in which the body, or part of it, is invaded by a pathogen

Question 7

medical asepsis

Answer 7

practices that are employed to inhibit growth and hinder the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to prevent the spread of infection

Question 8

microorganism (micro = small; organism = living thing)

Answer 8

a microscopic plant or animal

Question 9

nonintact (NON-in-takt) skin

Answer 9

skin that has a break in the surface ; including, but not limited to, abrasions, cuts, hangnails, paper cuts, and burns

Question 10

nonpathogen (non-PATH-oh-jen)

Answer 10

a microorganism that doesn’t normally produce disease

Question 11

opportunistic (OP-pore-tune-IS-tik) infection [OI]

Answer 11

an infection that results from a defective immune system that can’t defend the body from pathogens normally found in the environment

Question 12

optimum (OP-tuh-mum) growth temperature [OGT]

Answer 12

the temperature at which an organism grows best

Question 13

parenteral (pare-EN-ter-al)

Answer 13

taken into the body through piercing of the skin barrier or mucous membranes

Question 14

pathogen

Answer 14

a disease producing microorganism

Question 15

postexposure prophylaxis (proe-fil-ACKS-is) [PEP]

Answer 15

treatment administered to an individual after exposure to an infectious disease to prevent it

Question 16

regulated medical waste [RMW]

Answer 16

medical waste that poses as a threat to health and safety

Question 17

resident flora (FLOE-ruh)
[Normal flora]

Answer 17

harmless, nonpathogenic microorganisms that normally reside on the skin and usually don’t cause disease

Question 18

transient (TRAN-zee-ent) flora

Answer 18

microorganisms that reside on the superficial skin layers and are picked up in the course of daily activities. Often pathogenic but are easily removed from the skin by sanitizing the hands