Infection Flashcards
What are the steps to the chain of infection?
- Causative agent
- reservoir
- portal of exit
- mode of transmission
- portal of entry to the host
- susceptible host
Infection Prevention
Hand hygiene, PPE, disposing of material properly, breaking the chain of infection.
Discharge instructions and patient education for wound healing
- Keep the area dry and clean
- how to clean the wound
- s/s of the infection
- when to call the doctor
- how to care for the wound at home
Hospital-acquired infections: risk and prevention
- Risks: People who have a urinary catheter, older patients, and people who have had surgery, people on a ventilator, tracheostomies, endotracheal intubation, IV sites, cardiac catheterization
- The most common types are UTI, pneumonia, and Surgical site infections
- They manifest after 48 hours of admission. If they start sooner than that, then the infection was present before admission.
- Prevention: Use sterile technique, proper hand washing, 40-60 seconds for solid hands.
S/S of pneumonia
cough, fever, chills, sputum, SOB, fatigue, changes in LOC, hemoptysis (bloody sputum)
Risk factors for pneumonia:
COPD or suppressed immune systems are more prone to developing pneumonia.
Patients at risk for aspirations
treatments for Pneumonia:
Oxygen, increased fluids, chest percussion
Medications for Pneumonia:
Bronchodilators, mucolytic, antipyretics
Assessments for pneumonia:
Respiratory assessment, vital signs, oxygen, etc.
Risk factors for chlamydia
Females that are sexually active or are teenagers between ages of 14-19, having a history of an STI, having a partner with a history of an STI, cervical ectopy, having multiple partners, having unprotected sex, using drugs or alcohol that increases risky sexual behavior, Infants born to mothers with untreated chlamydia are at risk for chlamydial conjunctivitis and pneumonia
S/S of chlamydia
- Mostly asymptomatic in women until the uterus and fallopian tubes have been invaded
- Men are more asymptomatic. Reactive arthritis is the complication most likely to occur in men
- dysuria, urinary frequency, and discharge
Prevention of Chlamydia
Having protected sex, decrease the number of sex partners, and routine screening
Treatments for Chlamydia
- Antibiotics: azithromycin, doxycycline, levofloxacin
2. both sexual partners must be treated at the same time or prior to resuming sexual intercourse
S/S of MRSA
Bumps or an infected area of the skin that could be red, swollen, painful, warm to the touch, full of pus or other drainages, and accompanied by a fever
Education for MRSA
- cover your wounds with clean, dry bandages until healed
- do not pick or pop the sore
- clean your hands after changing a bandage, touching an infected wound, or after touching dirty clothes
- do not share personal items such as towels, washcloths, razors, and clothing
- Wash laundry before use by others and clean your hands after touching dirty clothes.