Hospital associated infections

Question 1

What is a healthcare associated infection?

Answer 1

An infection you might catch getting healthcare

Could be in hospitals, care homes, doctor’s surgeries, health centres or care homes

Question 2

What are the most common types of hospital acquired infections?

Answer 2

Urine infections (via catheters)
Surgical infections
Skin infections 
Resp tract infections (via intubation)
Bloodstream infections (via cannulas)
GI infections

Question 3

For how many hours do you usually have to be in hospital to develop a hospital acquired infection?

Answer 3

48 hours

Question 4

What is the definition of an outbreak an infection?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

What is the purpose of infection surveillance?

Answer 5

To detect and identify potential infection outbreaks at the earliest opportunity

Question 6

What are the 6 factors in the chain of infection?

Answer 6

Infectious agent
Reservoir
Portal of exit
Mode of transmission 
Portal of entry
Susceptible host

Question 7

Give examples of infectious agents.

Answer 7

Bacteria
Virus
Fungi
Prion

Question 8

Give examples of infection reservoirs.

Answer 8

Humans
Equipment
Environment
Food
Animals

Question 9

Give examples of infections portal of exit.

Answer 9

Blood 
Bodily fluids
Skin scales
Wounds
Coughing 
Sneezing

Question 10

Give examples of infections mode of transmission.

Answer 10

Direct
Indirect
Inhalation
Ingestion (contaminated food)

Question 11

Give examples of infections portal of entry.

Answer 11

Skin/surgical wounds
Eyes
Mouth
Resp tract
GI tract
Tubes

Question 12

Give examples of susceptible hosts.

Answer 12

Those with:
Underdeveloped immune system
Decreasing immune system
Drugs
Diseases
Tubes

Question 13

What are the contact precautions used to limit infection spread?

Answer 13

Hand hygiene
Personal protective equipment (e.g. apron, gloves, masks and eye protection)
Shut the door

Question 14

What are the methods of preventing the mode of transmission of infections?

Answer 14

Hand hygiene
Personal protective equipment
Food safety 
Cleaning, disinfecting an sterilisation 
Isolation

Question 15

What are the methods of preventing the portal of exit of infections?

Answer 15

Hand hygiene 
Personal protective equipment 
Control of aerosols and splatter 
Respiratory etiquette (e.g. covering your mouth when you cough)
Waste dispossal

Question 16

What are the methods of preventing those being susceptible hosts of an infection?

Answer 16

Immunisations
Treating the underlying disease
Health insurance
Patient education

Question 17

What are the differences between a droplet and an aerosol?

Answer 17

Droplet: >5µm, spreads less than 1m, drops to the ground

Aerosol: <5µm, more widespread, remains suspended in the air

Question 18

What type of spread is more infectious, airborne or droplet?

Answer 18

Airborne

Question 19

What is the definition of clanging, disinfection and sterilisation?

Answer 19

Cleaning: the physical removal of organic material and decrease in microbial load

Disinfection: a large reduction in microbe numbers (spores may remain)

Sterilisation: the removal/destruction of ALL microbes and spores

Question 20

Give an example of something that is a high risk of infection transmission, which need to be sterilised.

Answer 20

Surgical equipment

Question 21

What is used in cleaning?

Answer 21

Detergent and water

Question 22

What is an important part of the cleaning process?

Answer 22

Drying

Question 23

Give examples of methods of disinfection.

Answer 23

Heat e.g. boling

Chemical e.g. alcohol

Question 24

Give examples of methods of sterilisation.

Answer 24

Steam under pressure
Hot air oven
Gas
Ionising radiation

Question 25

What are the different types of surveillance for infections?

Answer 25

Local -> lab, ward or clinical area based

National