Infection Flashcards
What are some factors that increase host susceptibility ?
- age
- underlying disease
- malignancy
- transplants
- certain medications
- surgical procedures
- radiation therapy
- indwelling devices
What is a localized infection ?
in a specific place in the body
What is systemic infection ?
spread all over the body
What are some manifestations of localized infection ?
- swelling
- redness
- heat
- pain or tenderness
- loss of function in affected body part (due to pain and inflammation)
What are some manifestations of systemic infection ?
- fever
- leukocytosis
- malaise
- anorexia
- nausea
- vomiting
- lymph node enlargement
- organ failure (when infection is left alone for so long)`
What does the incubation stage mean ?
pt. may not feel ill or have any visual manifestations
- may be detectable through labs or diagnostic tests
- bacteria has entered the body but we feel okay
What does the prodromal stage mean ?
initial manifestations
- will start to have symptoms
- fever, aches, poor appetite, malaise, runny nose
What does the acute illness stage mean ?
infection process becomes obvious
- infection considered severe
- symptoms are at it’s worst
What does period of decline stage mean ?
manifestation begin to subside
- number of infectious agents in the body decline
What is the period of convalescence stage mean ?
pt returns to previous state of health
- getting back to baseline but may be left with lasting/lingering effects
What are the stages of infection ?
- incubation
- prodromal
- acute illness
- period of decline
- period of convalescence
What are some common health care associated infections ?
- urinary tract (CAUTI)
- surgical sites (SSI)
- respiratory tract (VAP)
- blood stream (CLABSI)
What are infection bundles ?
groups of interventions we use to prevent infections with specific procedures/machines
- to improve patient outcomes
What are some risk factors for health care associated infections ?
- increased length of stay
- invasive procedures
- multi-drug resistant organismzs
- # of providers
- decreased immunity
What is asepsis ?
absence of pathogenic (disease-producing) microorganisms
What is aseptic technique ?
practices/procedures that help reduce the risk for infection
What is medical asepsis (clean technique) ?
procedures for reducing the number of organisms present and preventing the transfer of organisms
- used all the time unless you need surgical asepsis
- Ex.) hand hygiene, wiping down surfaces
What is surgical asepsis (sterile technique) ?
procedures used to eliminate ALL microorganisms, including pathogens and spores, from an object or area “used for certain procedures such as central line dressing changes, surgery, etc.
- Ex.) sterile procedures
What are the 5 moments for hand hygiene ?
- before touch a pt
- before clean/aseptic procedure
- after body fluid exposure risk
- after touching a pt
- after touching pt surroundings
How do we prevent infections with bedside units ?
keep table surfaces clean and dry
How do we prevent infections with bottled solutions ?
- do not leave bottled solutions open when not in use
- keep solutions tightly capped
- date bottles when opened and discard in 24 hrs
How do we prevent infections with surgical wounds ?
- keep drainage tubes and collection bags patent (no blockage) to prevent accumulation of serous fluid under the skin surface
- empty the drainage frequently
How do we prevent infections with drainage bottles and bags ?
- NEVER raise a drainage system (urinary drainage bag) above the level of the site being drained unless it is clamped off
- wear gloves and protective eyewear if splashing or spraying with contaminated blood or body fluids is anticipated
- empty and dispose of drainage suction bottles according to facility policy
- empty all drainage systems on each shift (at least) unless otherwise ordered by physician
What is disinfection ?
process that eliminates many or all microorganisms, with the exception of bacterial spores, from inanimate objects
What is sterilization ?
complete elimination or destruction of all microorganisms, including spores
What are the main difference between disinfection and sterilization ?
- sterilization is to remove ALL microorganisms and spores
How do we prevent needlestick injury ?
- if we have option to go needleless then we will
- engage safety device immediately after withdrawing the needle after use
- get new sharps box if 3/4 full
What are standard precautions ?
used to prevent and control infections and its spread
- for everyone
- wear gloves when come in contact with blood, body fluid, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes from all patients
What is tier one isolation precautions ?
standard precautions
- infection prevention practices for ALL clients
What are examples of tier two isolation precautions ?
- contact precautions
- droplet precautions
- airborne
- protective environment
What is contact precautions used for ?
known or suspected microorganisms that can be transmitted by direct contact with the pt and indirect contact with surfaces or items in the pt’s environment
What is droplet precautions used for ?
pt’s with transmission of large droplets during coughing, sneezing, talking, suctioning and deposited on mucous membranes of RN’s nose, mouth, eyes
How is enteric precautions different ?
used with Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff)
- wash hands with soap and water (not hand sanitizer) to get rid of spores
- use bleach wipes because it also kills spores
What are precautions for contact transmission ?
- private room, gown and gloves, wash and hands
- with reusable items you need to clean them and disinfect them
- with transport instructions you need to cover them with clean sheets and clean with approved disinfectant after transporting pt’s
What precautions are used for droplet transmission ?
- private room, mask or respirator (refer to agency policy), wash hands
- place surgical mask on patient prior to pt leaving room
- transporter: no mask
What is airborne precautions used for ?
transmitted by the airborne route via micro particle droplets that can remain suspended in the air for long periods of time, be dispersed by air currents, and be inhaled by a susceptible host
What precautions are used for airborne transmission ?
- private room with negative-pressure, room door shall be kept closed
- mask: respirator (N95 mask)
- surgical mask and yellow gown must be placed on patient
- if pt has chickenpox then cover all draining lesions
What is protective environment used for ?
used in limited populations with people who are at high risk for infections
- “reverse isolation”
- Ex.) transplant pt’s, stem cell transplants
What precautions are used for pt’s in a protective environment ?
- mask to be worn by pt when out of room
- positive airflow room
- pt can’t have dried or fresh flowers or potted plans in room
- food has to be cooked well (no raw food)
What are some diseases we use contact precautions for ?
- MRSA
- VRE
- C.Diff (enteric also)
What are some diseases we use droplet precautions for ?
- Meningitis
- Rubella
- Influenza
- Pertussis
- RSV
What are some diseases we use airborne precautions for ?
- TB
- Chickenpox
Why might we use protective environment precautions for ?
stem cell transplants
