Infection Control Flashcards
Define ‘infection’
Invasion by and multiplication of pathogenic micro organisms in a bodily part or tissue, which may produce tissue injury and progress to overt disease
What is a control strategy?
Risk assessment of a number of key tasks identified and strategies for reducing risk agreed
Describe a bacterial infection
Single celled micro organism, larger and live everywhere.
Can multiply every 20 mins
Enter body, increase in number
Examples MRSA ECOLI
Describe a viral infection
Smallest, requires a host.
Invades cell and kills or intervenes with cell function.
Multiplies but cannot survive for long outside of host.
Antibiotics are ineffective
Examples HIV HEP B Covid
Describe a fungal infection
Gets nutrition from host
Releases spores which can be picked up, inhaled or digested.
Mould, mildew, yeast ie parasitic plant
Examples ring worm athletes foot ear fungus
How does an infection travel? (4)
Direct contact person to person
Contact with contaminated objects ie hearing aid or impression
Contact with infectious material ie infected wax
Droplets ie common cold
How do we manage infections?
Cleaning - removes doesn’t kill
Disinfection - inactivates and reduces
Sterilisation - destruction of all forms of microbial life
Name the elements that make up the chain of infection
Infectious agents ie pathogen
Reservoir ie people, animals, plant,
Portals how it enters/exits ie blood, respiratory secretions
Mode of transmission ie sneezing
Susceptible host ie person with weak immune system
Remove one element and chain of infection is broken
What is the purpose of otoscopy?
Ensure ears are free of problems prior to hearing test or the fitting of instruments
What are looking for in otoscopy?
PISSEDAS
Perforations
Infections
Size
Shape
Excess wax
Discharge
Abnormalities
Safety
What is aseptics?
The concept of hygiene which maximizes the chance of avoiding cross infection:
From you to patient
From patient to patient
From patient to you
From ear to ear
HCPC definition of referral?
When a health professional asks another practitioner to take over the care of the service user because it’s beyond their scope of practice OR service user requests a second opinion
What is ‘scope of practice’ ?
The Knowledge, skills and experience to enable safe, lawful and effective practice
What are the HCPC expectations?
Registered with HCPC
HAD - protected Title
Meet all standards of proficiency
Always work within scope of practice
What is the scope of practice for a HAD?
Best interests of service user
Joint working with colleagues in care of service user sharing relevant info
Keep accurate records
Make and receive appropriate referrals
Understand and work within SOP
Gain appropriate experience before moving into new areas
Make informed, reasonable decisions and be able to justify them
Keep up to date with training
When do we consider referrals?
If presenting with signs/symptoms of an advisable condition
When seeing for first time
Patient not seen for 12 months
Patient reports, or I find, a change in that condition
When criteria for referral met during case history
List the 9 non-Audiometric advisable conditions
Obstruction
Abnormal appearance
Otalgia or persistent pain
Tinnitus (unilateral, pulsatile, objective)
Hyperacusis sensitive to sounds
Vertigo recurring or unresolved
Auditory processing disorder (mismatch between HL and hearing ability)
Facial numbness URGENT referral
Implant device ( NICE - cochlea implant offered for severe/profound HL & no benefit from HA - 90 dBHL @ 2-4kHz
When is a referral not required?
Condition already investigated
Condition remains unchanged since treatment - need clinical notes as evidence
Condition lies within SOP ie wax removal
Patient makes informed/competent decision declining referral - RECORD
What is the referral process?
Appropriate records
Obtain informed consent
Referrer is informed without delay
GP referral letter
GP details must be recorded
Yes button in CMS auto generates referral letter
When do we do urgent referrals?
Sudden SN HL within 3 days in last 30 days
Rapid deterioration in hearing in last 4-90 days
Facial numbness
Refer patient to A&E/outpatients
Print letter for patient
Copy to customer services
Indicators for impressions taking?
New/updated custom ear mould, piece or shell.
If over 6 months since previous impressions taken
Contra indicators for impression taking?
Wax/foreign bodies
Post operative ears
Infections/discharges/fungus
Stenosis
Blood
Perforations - depends size/location etc
What are the otoblock size and colours?
Large - blue
Medium - White
Small - Black
Slim stop - deep
Can also use cotton wool equivalents for greater comfort for deeper impressions good for CIC
Properties of impression material
Easy to use
Good flow (not too liquidy)
Good, smooth impression
Flexible when cured
Curing time short
Non-allergic and aseptic
Dimensional stability
Cost effective
Any chemical change does not produce excess heat or toxins as a by product
Name 2 types of impressions material and their characteristics.
Addition cured silicone & condensation reaction silicone
ACS - 50/50 mix easy to use,
Minimal shrinkage
Slightly longer set time
Good for high power or CIC
CRS - 10/1 mix - harder
1%shrinkage over 48 hrs
Curing time can be altered
Slightly more elastic
Due to moisture - needs to air
