Healthcare Infections

Question 1

What are healthcare infections?

Answer 1

Infections arising as a consequence of providing healthcare

In patients neither presenting nor incubation at the time of admission (onset is at least 48 hr after admission)

Also includes infections in hospital visitors and healthcare workers (even builder - those no working in healthcare but working within the hospital)

Question 2

What economic effect do healthcare infections have?

Answer 2

It increases the cost of providing health care

Because stay in hospital is longer, more beds are needed, more staff may be needed, cost of treats and investigation.

Question 3

What are the 3 main points of infection prevention intervention

Answer 3

Stop pathogen being around in the first place

Prevent patient getting infected

Prevent further infections

Question 4

Give some examples of healthcare infection pathogens

Include an example of a virus, bacteria, fungi and parasite

Answer 4

Virus: blood borne viruses (Hep B, C, HIV), Norovirus, influenza, chickenpox

Bacteria: staph aureus (including MRSA), clostridium difficile, E.Coli, klebsiella pneumoniae, mycobacterium tuberculosis (highly infectious)

Fungi: Candida albicans, aspergillus species

Parasites: malaria

Question 5

What factors might make a patient more susceptible to getting a hospital infection?

Answer 5

Extremes of age
Obesity/malnourished 
Diabetes 
Cancer 
Immunosuppressed
Smoker
Surgical patient 
Emergency admissions (already unwell)

Question 6

What are the 4 P’s of infection prevention and control?

Answer 6

Pathogen
Patient
Practice
Place

Question 7

What are the patient interventions that can be put in place to prevent healthcare infections? (General and specific)

Answer 7

General:

• Optimise patient’s condition-smoking, nutrition, diabetes
• antimicrobial prophylaxis (need sufficient antibiotics at the site of surgery for the entire duration of the surgery)
• skin preparation (disinfectants)
• hand hygiene

Specific:

• MRSA screens (for those undergoing surgery)
• Mupirocin nasal ointment
• disinfectant body wash

Question 8

What is put in place to halt patient to patient transmission of healthcare infections?

Answer 8

Physical barriers:

• isolation: can use specially designed rooms that push bacteria out using air flow
• protection of susceptible patients: putting them in special rooms as well

*use positive pressure rooms

Question 9

How do you prevent the spread infection from healthcare workers to patients?

Answer 9

Healthy:
Ensure they’re disease free and vaccinated

Good practice:
Encourage good clinical techniques (Sterile non-touch), hand hygiene, PPE (personal protective equipment), antimicrobial prescribing

Question 10

What environmental interventions are in place to prevent the spread of infections in hospitals?

Answer 10

• built environment
• furniture and furnishings
• cleaning (disinfectants, steam cleaning, H2O2 vapour)
• medical devices (single use equipment, sterilisation, decontamination)
• appropriate kitchen and ward food facilities
• positive/negative pressure rooms