Exam 1 Flashcards
Describe hand hygiene (hand washing, when to wash,)
-wash when your hands are visibly soiled
-before and after leaving a pt room
-when interacting with ppl that have certain pathogens (c diff, fungus)
-when hands are contaminated with blood or other body fluids
what do you need when you are going to wash your hands
-soap
-take off all jewelry
-warm water
-a lot of friction
wash for 20 seconds
-hands downwards when rinsing
how do you perform hand hygeine
-turn on water and wet hands and wrists
-get some soap and begin to lather
-hands need to points downwards to drain
-rub top of hands, middle of fingers palms
-wash nails by rubbing them against the palms
wash for 20 seconds
rinse and don’t shake hands
get clean paper towel and pat hands dry
throw that away
get another paper towerl and turn of faucent
why is there no vaccine for the common cold
bc they virus is always mutating
when do you use alchohl-based cleanser
-when handing something to the pt
-when your hands arent soiled
you can use it from 8-10 times
-rub until dry
-before performing a ask that requires aseptic technique like inserting catheter, peripheral vascular catheters or invasive devices that dont require surgical placement or handling or medical devices
-after contact with surface in the pt environment immediately after removing gloves
when shouldn’t you use alcohol-based cleansers
-when you are exposed to spores and non enveloped viruses
what are spores
-Coping mechanism of bacterial species to protect themselves against ecological degrading agents.
-Spores can exist up to 4 months on surfaces.
-Clostridium difficile (Colitis) a common infection in healthcare, associated with high morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs.
what are non enveloped viruses
-do not contain the extra lipid membrane surrounding viral capsid
-Typically more virulent because they cause host cell lysis.
-More resistant to extreme pH, heat, dryness, and simple disinfectants
-Some examples of non-enveloped viruses are norovirus, enterovirus, adenovirus, and rhinovirus.
Norovirus (Gastroenteritis) can live on surfaces up to 14 days.
what are the stages of infection
Incubation period:
-organisms growing and multiplying
-Length varies
Prodromal stage:
-person is most infectious
-vague and nonspecific signs of disease “I don’t feel so good”
Full stage of illness:
-presence of specific signs and symptoms of disease -“Please stay away from me”
Convalescence period:
-recovery from the infection
-“Oh, if we only knew how long it would take.”
Recovery stage:
-Varies according to the severity of the infection and the patient’s general condition
-Typically not infectious to others, but may have some residual symptoms such as tiredness, non-productive cough.
describe the chain of infection and what can you do to break each chain
-infectious agent–> hand hygiene, sterilization, antibiotics/ antimicrobials
-reservoir–> transmission-based precautions. sterilization or use of disposable supplies
-portal of exit from reservoir–> dry intact dressing, hand hygiene, wear gloves if contact with body fluids, core nose and mouth when sneezing
-means of transmission
-portals of entry–>cover your mouth when you sneeze, hand hygiene etc
-susceptible host–> immunizations, screen healthcare staff
what is an infectious agent
bacteria, viruses, fungi
what is a reservoir
natural habitat of the organism
what is a portal of exit
point of escape for the organism
what is a means of transmission
direct contact, indirect contact, airborne route
what is portal of entry
point at which organisms enter a new host
what is a susceptible host
must overcome resistance mounted by host’s defenses
what is bacteria and give me examples
most significant and most prevalent in hospital settings.
strep throat, Salmonella, TB, Pertussis, STIs, UTIs, E.coli., C.diff., MRSA
what are viruses and give me examples
smallest of all microorganisms.
common cold, influenza, corona viruses, Norovirus (stomach flu), hepatitis, RSV
what is fungi and give me examples
plant-like organisms present in air, soil, and water.
ringworm, athlete’s foot, fungal nail infections, vaginal yeast infections, thrush
what are parasites and give me examples
live on or in a host and rely on it for nourishment.
giardiasis, toxoplasmosis, hookworms, pinworms
who are hte most susceptible pts
the ones that have foleys, IVs, central lines, NG tubes
Invasive procedures
Increased exposure
-Babies
Children
College students – Nursing students, campus residents
Elderly
Change in host defenses - Weakened immune system or immunocompromised
Unimmunized -
Lack of effective resistance
what is susceptibility affected by
Age
Nutritional status
Stress
Heredity
Substance abuse
Disease process
Medical therapy
Vaccination status – common cold mutates too rapidly for a vaccine to be developed
what factors affect the risk of infection
-Intact skin and mucous membranes, GI, GU pH –levels, WBC levels
-Substance abuse
-Age, sex, and hereditary factors
-Immunization, natural or acquired
-Fatigue, climate, nutritional, hygiene and general health status
-Stress (nursing students)
-Protective mechanisms: Good nutrition, stress reduction, adequate rest, normal flora, inflammatory and immune responses.
what is medical asepsis
(Clean) microorganisms still exist
Clean technique to reduce number of pathogens
what is surgical asepsis
-(Sterile) no microorganisms
-Sterile technique to keep area free from microorganisms
what are the basic principles of asepsis
-Microorganisms exist everywhere except on sterilized equipment
-Frequent handwashing and maintaining intact skin reduces transmission of microorganism
-Blood, body fluids, cells, and tissue are major reservoirs of microorganisms
-Personal protective equipment serves as barrier to microbial transmission
-Move equipment away from the body when brushing, scrubbing, or dusting articles to prevent contaminated particles from settling on the hair, face, or uniform
-Carry soiled items away from the body to prevent them from touching the clothing.
-Do not put soiled items on the floor, as it is highly contaminated.
-Clean the least soiled areas first and then move to the more soiled ones to prevent having the cleaner areas soiled by the dirtier areas.
What are the transmission based precautions
-Used in addition to standard precautions for patients in hospitals with suspected infection with pathogens that can be transmitted by airborne, droplet, or contact routes.
-Don personal protective equipment (PPE) when entering the room of a patient on transmission-based precautions, and to remove only when leaving the room.
-Contact Precautions (gown and gloves)
-Droplet Precautions (gown, gloves and mask)
Note: When these patients are transported out of their rooms for diagnostics they need to wear a mask
-Airborne Precautions (gown, gloves, N95 mask, neg air flow room)
what are standard precautions and what precautions are taken
-they are used for all patients
-these are the most basic precautions
-normal hand hygiene
-use clean non sterile gloves when you anticipate that your hands will be soiled and change in between tasks exp when cleaning a pt
use mask, eye protection, face shield, and gown when you think youll come in contact with any bodly fluid
-avoid recapping needles, never use too hands and use the one handed scoop technique
what are airborne precautions and what kind of PPE do you wear
-this is for pt who have infections that spread through the air like tuberculosis, varicella (chicken pox), rubeola (measles)
-sometimes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
-Covid
-flu
-meningitis
-pertussis
-pt has to be placed in a private room w/ negative air pressure
-make sure that the door stays closed
-use an N95 (you have to be fitted for one)
-you don’t have to use gloves but perform hand hygiene but wear gloves if you think they’re gonna get soiled
what are droplet precautions and what kind of PPE do you wear
-used for pt with infections that are spread as large particle droplets
-these are generated when the pt, coughs, sneezes, or talks
-use when the pt has influenza, coronavirus, rubella, mumps, diphtheria and adenovirus in infants and young children
-use mask and eye protection
-disinfect surfaces after you are done providing care
-hand hygiene