Chapter 28: Infection Prevention & Control Flashcards
Define infection:
host invaded by pathogens/microorganisms (results in disease)
What causes disease?
entry and multiplication of organisms in a host
What is a communicable disease?
Infectious process transmitted from one person to another
Describe a symptomatic infection:
Pathogens multiply and cause clinical signs and symptoms
Describe an asymptomatic infection:
Infection where signs and symptoms are not present
How can we prevent and control transmission of infections?
Hand hygiene (hand washing)
What is the chain of infection (6):
- infectious agent
- reservoir
- portal of exit
- mode of transmission
- portal of entry
- host
Define immunocompromised:
having an impaired immune system
Define Virulence:
ability to produce disease
Describe aerobic bacteria:
Bacteria that requires oxygen for survival & multiplication
Describe anaerobic bacteria:
Bacteria that thrive with little or no oxygen
Define bacteriostasis:
Prevention of growth and reproduction of bacteria
Define bactericidal:
Destruction of bacteria
What do you treat bacterial infections with?
Antibiotic treatment
What do you treat viral infections with?
Antiviral medications (only treat some viruses)
What do you treat fungal infections with?
Antifungal medications
What do you treat parasite infections with?
Depends on type
What is a reservoir?
Place where microbe survives, multiplies, and waits to transfer to a host
Can symptomatic humans be reservoirs?
Yes
Can asymptomatic humans be reservoirs?
Yes
What are examples of reservoirs (5):
- food
- water
- insects
- animals
- inanimate objects
What are the modes of transmission (6):
- direct contact
- indirect contact
- droplet
- airborne
- vehicle
- vector
Describe direct transmission:
Person to person (fecal-oral)
Describe indirect transmission:
Contact with contaminated object (needle, dressings, etc.)
Describe droplet transmssion:
Large droplets via coughing, sneezing, talking (travel up to 3 ft)
Describe airborne transmission:
Small droplets/residue carried on dust particles
Describe vehicle:
Object that transports infection (water, food, doorknob)
Describe vector transmission:
Animal that carries the microorganism
Describe the Infectious Process (4):
- incubation period
- prodromal stage
- illness stage
- convalescence
Describe the incubation period:
From entrance of microbe to first symptoms
Describe the Prodromal Stage?
From onset to nonspecific to more specific signs and symptoms
Describe the illness stage:
From specific signs and symptoms to type of infection
Describe Convalescence:
Acute symptoms of infectious disappear (recovery period)
What are the signs of inflammation (5)?
- pain
- swelling
- redness
- heat
- impaired function
Are signs of local inflammation and infection similar or different?
Similar
What are the 3 stages of inflammation?
- vascular and cellular response
- exudate production
- reparative phase
Describe the vascular and cellular response:
Increased blood flow, vasodilation, and WBC production
Describe exudate production:
Body’s defense to “wall off” infection and prevent spread
Describe Exudate (3):
- serous-clear, like plasma
- sanguineous-bloody
- purulent-pus; contains WBC & bacteria
Describe the reparative phase:
Repair of injured tissue (regenration/scar formation-granulation tissue)
What causes Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs)?
Results from delivery of health services in a health care facility
What kind of patient’s are at greater risk for HAIs? (4)
- have had multiple illnesses
- older adults
- poorly nourished
- lowered resistance to infection
What are the types of HAIs? (3)
- latrogenic
- exogenous
- endogenous
Where do latrogenic infections come from?
A procedure
Where do exogenous infections come from?
Microorganisms outside the individual
Where do endogenous infections come from?
Patient’s flora becomes altered (overgrowth)
What are the risk factors for HAIs (4)?
- # of health care employees w/direct contact w/patient
- types & #s of invasive procedures
- therapy received
- length of hospitalization (longer = dangerous)
Which major sites have higher risks for HAIs? (3)
- surgical or traumatic wounds
- urinary and respiratory tracts
- bloodstream
What are the risk factors for infection? (5)
- age
- nutritional status
- stress
- disease process
- treatments/conditions that compromise the immune system
List the Nursing Process (5):
- assessment
- diagnosing
- planning
- implementation
- evaluation
What do we investigate while conducting an assessment on a patient (3):
- review of systems, travel history
- immunizations & vaccinations
- gather info from patient, family, friends
What do we check for during a patient’s assessment? ()
- status of defense mechanisms
- patient susceptibility
- clinical appearance (s&s)
- laboratory data
What should WBCs levels be around?
5,000 and 10,000
Nursing diagnoses for infection (7):
- risk for infection
- imbalanced nutrition
- impaired oral mucous membrane
- risk for impaired skin integrity
- social isolation
- impaired tissue integrity
- readiness for enhanced immunization status
What do we prioritize, a patient’s pain or a patient’s high fever?
Pain (patient should be comfortable)
Describe Planning in the nursing process (3):
- have goals & outcomes
- set priorities
- work with other disciplines
List common goals of care for patients with infection (4):
- prevent exposure to infectious organisms
- control/reduce the extent of infection
- maintain resistance to infection
- verbalizing understanding of infection prevention & control techniques
Describe implementation in the nursing process (2):
- health promotion (prevent development/spread)
- acute care (treat infectious process)
What to consider when implementing care (7):
- medical & surgical asepsis
- control/eliminate infectious agents
- control/eliminate reservoirs
- control portals of entry
- control transmission
- hand hygiene
- isolation precautions
Define asepsis:
Absence of pathogenic microorganisms
What are aseptic techniques?
Practices/procedures that reduce the risk for infection
Describe medical asepsis (clean techniques):
Reduce the # of organisms present & prevents the transfer of organisms
Describe surgical asepsis (sterile technique):
Prevents contamination of an open wound (isolate operative area from the unsterile environment)
What standard precautions prevent/control infections and its spread (3):
- apply to contact (w/blood, body fluid, nonintact skin, mucous membranes)
- hand hygiene
- handwashing
Define cleaning:
removal of all visible soil and contamination
Define disinfection:
Eliminate many or all microorganisms (except bacterial spores from inanimate objects)
Define sterilization:
Complete elimination/destruction of all microorganisms (including spores)
What are ways to control/prevent infection spread? (5)
- patient safety (cleaning, etc.)
- patient education
- cough etiquette
- isolation (procedures)
- surgical asepsis
Explain cough etiquette (4):
- cover nose/mouth with a tissue & dispose afterwards
- wear surgical masks on patient (if possible)
- perform hand hygiene
- maintain 3 ft distance from those with respiratory infection
What is isolation?
Separation & restriction of movement of ill person with contagious diseases
What are the types of isolation done? (3)
- contact
- droplet
- airborne
What is done for contact isolation? (3)
- private room/cohort of patients
- gloves
- gowns
What is done for droplet isolation? (2)
- private room/cohort of patients
- mask or respirator required (depends)
What is done for airborne isolation? (4)
- private room
- negative-pressure airflow (6-12 exchanges per hour)
- masks/respiratory protection
- N95 respirator
List PPE (3):
- gloves
- gowns
- eyewear
What are the 2 type of masks?
- surgical masks
- N95 masks
What are surgical masks used for?
Protection against most infectious agents
What are N95 masks used for?
Highly contagious respiratory infections (TB, SARS, flu)
What is a sterile field?
Area free of microorganisms & prepped to receive sterile items
What are the principles of Surgical Asepsis? (7)
- sterile objects remain sterile if only touched by another sterile object
- only sterile objects may be place on a sterile field
-sterile object/field out of vision or below waist = contaminated
- sterile object/field becomes contaminated by prolonged exposure to air
- sterile object/field becomes wet = contaminated by capillary action
- fluid flows in the direction of gravity
- outer 1-2” edges of sterile field/container = contaminated
Why must we provide special care for a diabetic’s patients feet?
Most patients lose sensation in their feet
What happens during the evaluation step of the nursing process?
