Exam 2 Concept Review: Chapter 6 Flashcards
What is an nosocomial infection?
Infection acquired in a hospital or medical facility
10%-15% of patients acquire an infection in the hospital because of:
Many microbes present
Patients with undiagnosed infectious disease
Shared environment
Treatment that may cause weakened immune system
Many health care workers and fomites act as reservoirs
What are endospores and why are they hard to kill?
Dormant-latent form of bacterium
Formed by several species
Can survive long periods of time in spore state
Highly resistant to heat, dry conditions and disinfectants
Only way to kill endospores is through autoclave or incineration
What are viruses?
Small obligate intercellular parasites- living only inside another living cell (this is why it is harder to grow them and test them)
How do antiviral drugs work?
Reduce rate of viral replication (not killing the virus)
If the virus can’t reproduce as quickly, the body will be able to get hold of it and the immune system can take over
What are standard precautions?
Used in all universal settings with all clients when body fluids - assuming that all all body fluids from all individuals are possible sources of infection
What are specific precautions?
In clients diagnosed with a particular infection- these are used in addition to standard precautions
What are the guidelines for drug therapy?
Drugs should be administered and taken as directed
Anti microbial drugs should be taken until prescribed medication is completely used or until new drug is prescribed
If symptoms continue without reduction, contact the pharmacist or physician
Do not use drugs prescribed for other clients or other infections
If drug resistance is known to occur with infection, use multidrug therapy
What are the local signs of infection?
Pain, swelling, redness, warmth, tenderness
If bacterial, purulent exudate
If viral, serous, clear exudate
What are the systemic signs of infection?
Fever may be present
Fatigue and weakness
Headache
Nausea
What are broad spectrum antibiotics?
Effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms
The antibiotic that the nurse goes to when they don’t know what kind of infection it is (nurse is waiting for the culture to get back)
Can lead to killing of normal flora
What are narrow spectrum antibiotics?
Effective against either gram-positive or gram-negative organisms
The antibiotic that the nurse use when they know specific infection due to culture (patient might have lesser side effects because the antibiotic is not fighting both lines)
What makes microbes more virulent?
Invasive qualities
Toxins
Adherence to tissue
Ability to avoid host defenses
Ex: some bacteria are surrounded by capsules which help them hide from immune system
What makes microbes more susceptible?
Age(infants and older adults)
Pregnancy
Genetic susceptibility
Immunodeficiency
Malnutrition
Chronic disease: diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease
Severe physical or emotional stress
Inflammation or trauma
Impaired inflammatory responses
What are the different modes of transmission?
Direct contact- No intermediary
Indirect contact- intermediary
Droplet transmission (DROP FASTER IN AIR)
Aerosol transmission
Vector- borne
What is droplet transmission?
Respiratory or salivary secretions are expelled from infected individuals
When someone is in isolation with a droplet illness, the patient is going to wear a regular mask because droplets fall quicker
What is aerosol transmission?
Involve small particles from respiratory tract
Suspended in air and can travel further than droplets
Aerosol like stay in the air longer so a patient in isolation with aerosol should wear N-95 masks and should stay in negative airflow room so they air not recycled through the hospital and eye protection with gown
What is the difference between vector and fomite?
Vector: insect or animal is an intermediate host
Fomite: inanimated objects
Ex: stethoscope, door handles, blood pressure chuffs, keyboards
What are nonpathogenic microorganisms?
Usually do not cause disease unless conditions change
It is part of normal flora: person who is immunocompromised could have an issue with normal flora and normal flora helps the body
It is often beneficial
Normal flora is not beneficial if we get too many of them in the wrong location (too many antibiotics, immunosuppression)
What does resident flora cause?
Cause opportunistic infections with imbalance of normal flora: antibiotics kills the body’s normal flora this when the opportunistic infections come in to play
What is resident flora?
Many areas of the body have a resident population of mixed microorganism termed normal flora: skin, nasal, cavity, mouth, gut, vagina, urethra (urine should be normally considered sterile)
What parts of the body are sterile and not sterile?
Lungs are sterile
Kidneys are sterile
Bladder is sterile
NG tube going through the nose to mouth to the stomach is clean not sterile
What are the examples of Specific Precautions?
Gown
Gloves
Masks
Hair covers
What are the techniques to reduce transmission?
Sterilization of equipment:
Chemicals, heat in an autoclave
Use of chemicals:
Antiseptics are used on the skin and tissues
Disinfectants are used on surfaces or objects
