HAIs

Question 1

Common HAIs

Answer 1

UTI - 22.6% - mainly due to catheterisation 
Surgical sites
Resp tract infections
Bloodstream - central lines
Skin/soft tissue

Question 2

Colonisation Vs Infection

Answer 2

Infection = germs make you ill
Colonisation = germs live on you without making you il - ~30% of population have staph a on in their noses

Question 3

Factors causing infection

Answer 3

Host and microbial:

devices, antibiotics, break in skin barrier, foreign body, immunosuppression, over crowding

Question 4

The chain of infection

Answer 4

Source of microbe - transmission - host

Question 5

Means of transmission (4) and examples of organism

Answer 5

Direct contact - staph a
Respiratory/droplet - neisseria meningitdis
Faecal/oral - c.diff, salmonella
Penetrating injury - group A strep, BBV

Question 6

Thing that can break the infection chain (7)

Answer 6

Risk awareness
Standard Infection Prevention and Control Precautions
Hand hygiene 
Appropriate PPE
Vaccination 
Post exposure prophylaxis 
Environment

Question 7

Cleaning

Answer 7

Physical removal of organic material - intact skin, stethoscope, cots
detergent and water - drying is an important part of the process
Important prior to disinfection and sterilisation

Question 8

Disinfection

Answer 8

Large reduction in microbe numbers - spore may remain- bed pans, endoscopes, specula
Needs HEAT and CHEMICALS eg alcohol

Question 9

Sterilisation

Answer 9

Removal/destruction of ALL microbes and spores eg surgical instruments
Steam under pressure, gas, hot air oven

Question 10

Definition of outbreak

Answer 10

2 or more cases of an infection linked in time and place

Question 11

Control measures of outbreaks (5)

Answer 11

Single room isolation
Cohorting cases
Clinical area/ward closure
Reinforcement of IPC measures
Staff exclusion