Health Care Associated Infections Flashcards
How do we stop HCAIs?
- Measure the problem - survielence
- Understand the problem - epideimiology
- Manage the problem - education
- Prevent the problem - interrupt transmission
HAI =
hospital acquired infection
is one that was not prsent on admission and occured >48hrs after admission
HCAI =
healthcare associated infextion
Why is HCAI an issue?
- chronic disease
- invasive medical devices
- elderly population
- immunosuprresion
- complex procedures
- antibiotic resistance
How can doctors take measures to prevent HCAI?
- recognition of risk factors of pateints
- behaviour and practice
- hand hygiene
- dress
- PPE
- use isolation facilities correctly
What are potential infectious agents?
- Bacteria
- Fungi
- Parasites
- Prions
What are potential resevoirs for potentially infectious agents?
- people
- water
- food
What are the main portals of exit?
- blood
- secretions
- excretions
- skin
What are the main modes of transmission? And examples of infectious agents included in each category
- Direct or indirect contact via fomites and ingestion
- blood borne viruses, Diarrhoea, MRSA, C.diff, Strep A, gonorrhoea
- Droplet transmission
- meningitis, norovirus, diptheria, pertussis, pneumonia plague
- Aerosol (airbone) transmission
- TB, chicken pox, flu, haemorrhagic fever, measles
What are the main portals of entry?
- mucousmembrane
- respiratory system
- digestive system
- broken skin
When are contact precuations put in place?
for patients infected/colonised with organisms transmitted by direct or indirect contact
What are the main droplet precautions?
- single room if possible
- glovves
- aprons
- disposable masks/eye protection
Examples of organisms included in contact precuations
- Syndrome
- gastroenteritis
- fever in patients returning from the tropics
- Specific organism
- C. diff
- MRSA
- S. pyogenes
When are droplet precautions put in place?
for organisms transmitted in droplets - these only travel short distances
What are the droplet precautions?
- single room if possible
- wear surgical mask when within touching distance os patient or cough inducing procedure
What do droplet precautions apply to?
- Syndrome
- meningism
- fever with cough or rash
- vomitting
- Organism
- N.meningitis
- mumps
- rubella
When are airborne precautions put in place?
when particles can be widely dispersed
e.g. TB, measles, viral haemorrhagic fever, influenza
What are the precautions used for airborne transmission?
Wear FFP3 mask for all aerosol generating procedures
Examples of invasive medical devices
- CVC
- PCV
- urinary catheter
- dialysis lines
Examples of indwelling prosthetic devices
- heart valves
- joints
- pacemaker
Name the gram negative enterobacteriaceae that are antibiotic resistant
- extended spectrum - lactamase producong enterobacteriaceae (ESBL producer)
- Carbapenem resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE)
- Carbapenem producing pseudomonas
Name the gram positive organisms that are antibitoic resistant
- MRSA
- Vancomycin resistant enterococcus (VRE)
When shoul you wash your hands?
- After 4 uses of hand gel
- before touching patient
- before procedure
- after body fluid exposure
- after touching patient
- after touching paitent surroundings
