Hygiene, handwashing and hospital design Flashcards
Why is regular handwashing needed?
Remove bacteria and reduce level of residual bacteria
When do you need to wash your hands?
Before aseptic procedures
Before and after touching patients and their surroundings
How should you wash your hands properly?
Antimicrobial soap or alcohol based sanitiser
Use WHO handwashing protocol
What are the general requirements for hand hygeine?
Bare below elbows
Short clean and bare nails
Cover cuts in water proof dressing
Describe the stages of the WHO handwashing procedure
Wet hands and apply soap Palm to palm Palm over back of hand with interlocked fingers (both sides) Palm to palm with fingers interlocked Hands clasped around each other with fingers interlocked Rotational thumb rubbing Clean fingers on palms Rinse hands and dry
Why is infection control important?
Prevent HAI
Keep staff and patients safe
Maintain public health
How to clean kennels appropriately
Remove bedding and wash at 60 degrees
Remove organic material then remove any traces with detergent
Use disinfectant correctly
Wipe top to bottom
Define disinfectant
Killing or removal of microorganisms
Define antiseptic
Similar to disinfection but on living tissue
Define detergent
Solution with cleaning activity to remove organic matter
Define sterilisation
Removal of all microorganisms including spores
Define asepsis
Complete removal of all microorganisms including spores resulting in complete sterile state
How do bacteria exist in the environment?
Spores- dormant
Vegetative- living and replicating
What is the effect of viruses lipid envelope when trying to disinfect?
More easily removed as disinfectant removes lipid layer making it vulnerable
What are features of the ideal disinfectant?
Broad spectrum Non-irritant and non-toxic Easy to use Stable and not easily inactivated Cost effective Rapid action Remains on surface for contact time Not deactivated easily
What needs to be considered when choosing disinfectant?
Whats it being used on
Amount of organic matter involved
Contact time
Dilution
How do alcohol disinfectants work, what are they used for and what is an example?
Cause cell membrane damage Fast acting but no residual activity Broad spectrum effect except against enveloped viruses and spores Hand disinfection and patient prep Surgical spirit
How do aldehyde disinfectants work, why aren’t they used and what is an example?
Denatures proteins, broad spectrum
Toxic and possible carcinogenic
Formaldyhyde
How do biguanide disinfectants work, what are they used for and what is an example?
Alters cell membrane permeability but inactivated by organic matter, good residual action.
Effective against bacteria, some fungi but not spores
Used for patient prep or surgical scrub
Chlorhexidine
How do halogen disinfectants work, what are they used for and what is an example?
Destroys proteins in cells
Broad spectrum
Cleaning surfaces and skin
Bleach
How do QAC disinfectants work, what are they used for and what is an exmaple?
Inactivate enzymes and denature proteins Some residual activity Broad spectrum but not against unenveloped viruses or spores Surface disinfection Anigene
How to phenol disinfectants work, what are they used for and what is an example?
Denature proteins and disrupt cell membranes
Broad spectrum but not against unenveloped viruses or spores
Surface disinfection
Dettol
What is meant by a hospital acquired infection?
Infections acquired by patients during hospitalisation of acquired up to 30 days father discharge
What are common HAI?
UTIs
Pneumonia
Blood stream infections
Diarrhoea
What are some of the consequences of hospital acquired infections?
Client dissatisfaction
Longer hospitalisation
Higher morbidity
Multidrug resistance
What are common routes of infection of HAI?
Urinary catheters Surgery IV catheters or blood taking Implants Feeding tubes Contamination between patients
What are risk factors for HAIs?
Elderly Young Immunocompromised Invasive devices Endocrine disease
How are UTIs acquired in hospitals?
Urinary catheters main cause from repeated placement or poor hygiene