Cross Infection Control Flashcards
What is cross infection?
Transmission of a pathogenic organism from one person to another
Name 5 basic ways to reduce cross infection risk
- Minimising BBV transmission
- Decontamination of instruments
- Work surfaces and equipment
- Hand hygiene
- Clinical waste and PPE disposal
Name 3 reasons hand hygiene is important
- Prevent spread of infection by contact
- Remove transient organisms picked up during normal activity
- Reduce number of organisms below infecting dose prior to transfer
How do you wash your hands?
7 step technique
Name the 5 times a clinician should be washing their hands
- Before touching patient
- Before aseptic procedure
- After body fluid risk exposure
- After touching a patient
- After touching patient surroundings
Describe hand rub as an alternative to full hand hygiene
- Can be used providing hands not visibly soiled
- Washed with soap and water following several applications of rub
- Not affective against C. difficile and some viruses e.g norovirus
State whether detergent or alcohol rub should be used by a clinician at the start of a session
Detergent
State whether detergent or alcohol rub should be used by a clinician before putting gloves on
Alcohol rub
State whether detergent or alcohol rub should be used by a clinician after taking off gloves
Detergent
State whether detergent or alcohol rub should be used by a clinician when returning to bay following removal of PPE
Alcohol rub
State whether detergent or alcohol rub should be used by a clinician at the end of the session
Detergent
Describe steps in donning PPE
- Wash hands
- Put on plastic apron
- Fit mask to face
- Put on visor
- Put on gloves
Describe steps in doffing PPE
- Gloves
- Take off mask
- Take off glasses
- Remove apron
- Wash hands
What is an important point in preventing Sharps injury?
Never re-sheath needles without a safety device
What is a Sharps injury?
Any contaminated sharp which breaches the skin
What is meant by the term zoning?
Clearly identified zones marked clean and dirty to reduce the risk of cross infection
What are 5 important “dont’s” in the clinic with regards to cross infection
- Write or touch notes with gloves on
- Touch materials with gloves on
- Go into drawers with gloves on
- Touch any object in patient’s immediate environment
- Leave clinic while wearing any PPE
Describe what things are disposable in the clinic
- PPE
- Cotton wool roles
- Needles, files and burs
- 3 in 1 tips and suction tubes
- Rubber dams, impression trays, LA cartridges
What is a good way to distinguish between disposable and reusable instruments?
- Disposable instruments tend to have a 2 in a circle on them
- Reusable instruments tend to have CDU paperwork tracking the instrument
Describe non-disposable things in the clinic
- Handpieces
- Apex locator
- Grey connector for 3 in 1
- Ultrasonic scaler tips
- Composite guns
- Perio probe
Describe how PPE has changed since COVID-19 for aerosol generating procedures
Level 2 PPE used which includes surgical gowns, shoe covers, FFP3 mask, visor, hair net and gloves
Name 3 examples of AGPs in dentistry
- Procedures using fast handpiece
- S+P using ultrasonic scaler
- Use of 3 in 1
Describe the term “Fallow Time”
If an AGP procedure is carried out that surgery must be closed and left for 1 hour before cleaning process begins due to COVID-19