Healthcare Infections

Question 1

How do you differentiate between a hospital acquired infection and one brought in from outside?

Answer 1

Usually defined as onset at least 48 hours after admission

Question 2

Does it just include patients or visitors/workers too?

Answer 2

All

Question 3

Why are healthcare infections important (4)?

Answer 3

Frequency - high
Impact on health
Costs
Preventable

Question 4

Give 3 common infections acquired from hospital

Answer 4

Pneumonias
UTIs
Surgical wounds

Question 5

What are the 4 Ps of infection prevention and their definitions?

Answer 5

Patient - whether immunocompromised, elderly, comorbidities, smoker, surgical patient etc
Pathogen - virulence factors causing infection etc
Place - environment e.g. ward
Practice - skill of worker and managing infection risks

Question 6

Name 4 ways a patient could be more susceptible to a HAI?

Answer 6

• Post surgery
• Wounds/IV lines
• Immunocompromised
• Comorbidities
• Age
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Smoker

Question 7

In what ways can you intervene to prevent HAIs? General and Specific?

Answer 7

General - patent wellbeing nutrition/smoking/diabetes etc, antimicrobial prophylaxis e.g. pre surgery, skin prep, hand hygiene for staff and patients.

Specific - MRSA screening, disinfectant body wash, mupirocin nasal ointment (kills MRSA in nose)

Question 8

How can you stop patient to patient transmission of HAI? (Patient interventions, Worker interventions, environment)

Answer 8

Patient - isolate those infected, protect those more vulnerable (side rooms)

Health worker - Vaccinated, disease free, good practice - sterile, PPE, hand hygiene, antimicrobial stewardship

Environment - space/layout, toilets, hand wash basins, cleaning inc hydrogen peroxide vapour (not while patient in room). Medical devices - single use/sterilisation/decontamination. Good food hygiene in kitchens.

Question 9

Whats I-five?

Answer 9

Identify infection, then Isolate, Investigate, Inform, Initiate