Chapter 24: Asepsis And Infection Control Flashcards
Name the 6 components of the infection cycle
Infectious agent Reservoir Portal of exit Means of transmission Portal of entry Susceptible host
Infectious agent
Bacteria, virus, fungi
Reservoir
Natural habitat of the organism
Portal of exit
Port of escape for organism
Means of transmission (3)
Direct contact
Indirect contact
Airborne route
Portal of entry
Point at which organisms enter a new host
Susceptible host
Must overcome resistance mounted by host’s defenses
What is the most significant and commonly found infection-causing agent in healthcare institutions?
Bacteria
Name the 4 factors that affect an organism’s potential to produce/cause disease
Number of organisms
Virulence
Competence of a person’s immune system
Length and intimacy of contact between person and microorganism
Possible reservoirs for microorganisms
Other people Animals Soil Food, water, milk Inanimate objects
Which infection or disease may be spread by touching a contaminated inanimate article? A. Rabies B. Giardia C. E.coli D. Influenza
D
Name the common portals of exit
Respiratory GI GU Breaks in skin Blood and tissue
What are the stages of infection? (4 stages)
- Incubation period
- Prod royal stage
- Full stage of illness
- Convalescent period
During which stage of infection is the patient most contagious?
Prodromal stage
Why is a person most infectious during the prodromal stage?
Because they have early signs and symptoms of the disease, but they are often vague and nonspecific. During this stage, the patient often does not realize they are sick or contagious, and it spreads the infection
Factors affecting host susceptibility
- intact skin and mucous membranes
- normal pH levels
- body’s WBCs
- Age, sex, race, hereditary factors
- immunization, natural or acquired
- fatigue, climate, nutritional and general health status
- stress
- use of invasive or in-dwelling medical devices
5 cardinal signs of acute infection
Redness, heat, swelling, pain, loss of function
Laboratory data indicating infection
Elevated WBC (normal range is 5K-10K/mm3)
Increase in specific types of WBC
Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Presence of pathogen in urine, blood, sputum, or draining cultures
5 moments for hand hygiene
- Before touching the patient
- Before a clean or aseptic procedure
- After a body fluid exposure risk
- After touching a patient
- After touching patient surroundings
2 types of bacterial flora
- Transient- attached loosely on skin, removed with relative ease
- Resident- found in creases in skin, requires friction with brush to remove
Four Categories Responsible for Majority of Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs)
- Catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI)
- Surgical site infection (SSI)
- Central-line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)
- Ventilator-associated PNA (VAP)
Risk factors for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
- compromised immune system
- recent surgery
- invasive devices
- prolonged abx use (especially with vanc)
- prolonged hospitalization
Recommendations from the CDC to prevent C.diff infection (CDI)
- avoiding the use of electronic equipment that is difficult to clean (electronic thermometers)
- disinfecting dedicated patient care items and equipment (stethoscopes) between patients
- using full-barrier contact precautions (gown and gloves)
- placing patients in private rooms; cohort patients with the same strain of CDI
- hand hygiene
Determining use of sterilization and disinfection methods
- nature of organisms present
- number of organisms present
- type of equipment
- intended use of equipment
- available means for sterilization and disinfection
- time
T/F: Soaps and detergents (nonantimicrobial agents) are considered adequate for routine mechanical cleansing of the hands and removal of most transient microorganisms
T
Standard precautions
- used in care of all hospitalized patients regardless of their dx or possible infection status
- apply to blood, all body fluids, secretions and excretions except sweat (whether or not blood is present or visible), nonintact skin, and mucous membranes
- new additions are respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette, safe injection practices, and directions to use a mask when performing high-risk prolonged procedures involving spinal canal punctures
Transmission-Based Precautions
- used in addition to standard precautions in patients with suspected infection with pathogens that can be transmitted by airborne, droplet, or contact routes
- include don PPE when enter the room of a patient on contact or droplet precautions- - previously PPE was only required when the nurse was within 3 feet of the patient; these categories recognize that a disease may have multiple routes of transmission
Aseptic technique
Includes all activities to prevent or break the chain of infection
Two main categories:
- medical asepsis: clean technique
- surgical asepsis: sterile technique
Use of surgical asepsis
- operating room, labor and delivery areas
- certain diagnostic testing areas
- patient bedside (for example for procedures that involve insertion of a urinary catheter, sterile dressing changes, or preparing and injecting medicine)
Indirect contact includes
Mosquitos, ticks, and lice are vectors (non human carriers) that transmit organisms from one host to another
Fomite- inanimate object (equipment or countertop)
For which clients would a nurse be required to use droplet precautions?
Rubella, mumps, diphtheria prioritization
