Infection Control Flashcards
What are infections?
Diseases caused by microbiological agents
What are microbiological agents?
Organism that are too small to be seen with the naked eye
What are the other names for microbiological agents?
Microorganisms, microbes or germs
How do most infections occur?
As the result of microorganism entering the body through a wound or the respiratory systems
Do all microorganism cause disease?
No, some are essential to human life
What microorganisms are essential to human life?
Microbes that aid in digestion
What are pathogens?
Infectious microorganisms that cause disease
What is idiopathic?
A disease where the cause or origin is unknown
What is iatrogenic?
Diseases that result from contact from a healthcare provider
What are 4 types of microorganisms?
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Fungi
- Protozoan parasites
What type of microorganisms are bacteria?
Microscopic, single celled microorganisms
What are types of bacteria?
TB, Strep throat, bacterial pneumonia, salmonella and Lyme disease
How are bacteria classified?
By their rod shaped, spiral and spherical appearance under a microscope
Where do bacteria reside?
In a host as a group or cluster called a colony
What can be used to fight bacterial infections?
Antibiotics
What are antibiotics?
Man-made or naturally occurring substances which are used to destroy microorganism within the body
How do antibiotics work?
With the patient’s immune system to fight the infection and control the spread of illness
What are viruses?
The smallest microorganism that are known to produce disease in human
Where can viruses live?
Only inside a living cell and need a host to survive and replicate
What are examples of viruses?
HIV, AIDS, Mumps, Measles, mononucleosis, Herpes, Hepatitis, common cold and influenza
What are used to fight viruses?
Only a few antivirals exist, antibiotics will not work
What does multiplication of the virus depend on?
The health of the host
How long can viruses live?
May lie formant for extended periods of time and then manifest in illness
What are the two forms of fungi?
Yeast and molds
What regions of the body are usually affected by fungi?
In moist-covered regions of the body
What are examples of fungi?
Ringworm, mold, athlete’s foot and tinea nigra
What are protozoon parasites?
An organism that spends part of its existence on or in another organism
What are examples of Protozoan parasites?
Malaria, pinworms, tapeworms, malaria and trichomonas vaginalis
What are features of protozoan parasites?
They are neither plant nor animal, are larger than bacteria and can ingest food particles
Where do protozoan parasites live?
On or in other organism at expense of the host
What solutions do the EPA recommend that areas of patient surface contact be cleaned with?
Sodium hypochlorite + water and prepared commercial solutions
What is the sodium hypochlorite + water ratio?
1:10 (1 part bleach to 10 parts water)
What is encounter?
The contact of the organism with the host
What is entry?
The entrance of a microbe into the body
How does a microbe enter the body?
Through the respiratory or digestive systems
What is spread?
The propagation of infectious organisms
How are diseases spread?
Through sneezing or coughing
What is multiplication?
The increase in the number of microbes
During what period does multiplication occur?
Incubation period
What is damage?
Destruction that the microbe causes to the host
What is an outcome?
A result of the infectious agent’s encounter with the host
What are the 3 outcomes of a disease?
- the host eliminates the infectious agent
- the infectious agent overcomes the host and causes disease
- the host and the infectious agent live in harmony
What is the chain of infection?
Pathogens -> Reservoir -> Portal of Exit ->Source -> Fomite
What are pathogens?
Infectious agents including bacteria, viruses and fungi
What is a reservoir?
A habitat of organisms (where they grow and reproduce)
What is a portal of exit?
The primary route of escape for the organism
What is the source?
Person with or incubating the disease
What is a fomite?
An inanimate object, such as clothing, or table that harbors pathogenic microrganisms
What are examples of fomites?
Xray table, soiled linen, needles, clothing
What are the stages of the infectious process?
- Incubation or Latent period
- Prodromal stage
- Active or full phase
- Convalescence phase
What is the latent period?
Pathogens enter the host but there are no apparent signs of the illness or clinical symptoms
What is the prodromal stage?
Early signs and symptoms of the disease are present
What is the active phase?
Complete symptoms are manifested in the patient
What is the convalescence phase?
Period of recovery
How long can the convalescence stage last?
A few days to months depending on the illness
What are the methods of transmission of infection?
Direct and indirect
What is direct transmission?
Direct contact with the infected person or animal with disease
What are methods of direct contact?
Touching, contact with blood or bodily fluids
What are droplets?
Infectious secretions such as coughing, sneezing or talking
What is indirect transmission of infection?
Touching objects that have been contaminated
What are vehicles?
Any medium that transports microorganisms
What are airborne transmissions of infections?
Diseased microorganisms suspended in the air
What are vectors?
Insects or animals that carry a disease
What are types of healthcare associated infections?
- Nosocomial infections
- Iatrogenic infections
- Compromised patients
- Medical personnel
- Patient flora
- Blood-borne pathogens
What are nosocomial infections?
Infections that originate in the hospital
When do nosocomial infections occur?
After an initial incubation period of 72 hours
What do nosocomial infections take advantage of?
Compromised patients in the hospital
What is an immuno-suppressed condition?
A person whose body cannot adequately defend itself against disease
What are other terms for patient’s with immunosuppressed conditions?
Immune deficient or compromised patients
What are common nosocomial acquired infections?
- UTI
- respiratory infections
- wound infection secondary to surgical procedure
What are the 3 sources of nosocomial infections?
- medical personnel
- patient flora
- contaminated hospital environment
What ways are medical personnel sources of nosocomial infections?
- Direct skin to skin contact with hospital staff
- Contact by ingestion or inhalation
What is patient flora?
Microorganisms that are routinely found in areas of the body exposed to the external environment
What is a contaminated hospital environment?
Infections introduced through hospital environment
What are ways contaminated hospital environments infect patients?
Through contaminated food, air and instruments
What is contaminated?
Any object, article of clothing or medical equipment/devices which has been exposed to pathogenic microorganisms
What are blood borne pathogens?
Disease causing microorganisms that may be present in blood
What are examples of blood borne pathogens?
Hepatitis Virus (HVB), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
What are invasive procedures?
Procedures which include the insertion of needles, vascular catheters, ET tubes and endoscope into the body which allows microbes to gain entrance
What is asepsis?
Freedom from infections
What are the types of asepsis?
- Medical
- Surgical
- Sterilization
What is medical asepsis?
The limiting of the number of microbes, keeping them as low as possible
What is the single most important component of medical asepsis?
Frequent hand washing
When is medical asepsis practiced?
All the time
What is surgical asepsis?
Sterilization applied before, during and after surgery to completely remove or destroy microbes
When is surgical asepsis practiced?
Required for invasive procedures
What are the ways in which microorganisms are removed during surgical asepsis?
By heating or chemical processes
What is sterilization?
The process of complete destruction or elimination of all microorganisms
What are the methods of sterilization?
- autoclaving
- gas sterilization
- chemical sterilization
- dry heat
- ionizing radiation
- microwaves/non-ionizing radiation
What is the most convenient method of sterilization?
Autoclaving
What is autoclaving?
Steam under pressure
What is chemical sterilization?
Germicidal solutions
What are temperatures for dry heat?
Greater than 300 degrees
What are chemical methods of asepsis?
Disinfectants used to kill microorganisms
What are physical methods of asepsis?
- Heat
- Freezing
- UV light
What are barrier methods?
Physical shields health care workers wear to prevent the spread of infection
What are examples of barrier methods?
Gloves, gowns, protective eye wear, face shields
What is does PPE stand for?
Personal protective equiptment
What is PPE?
Specialized clothing or equipment worn to prevent skin or mucous membrane exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material
What is the most important mean of preventing infection?
Hand washing
What type of asepsis is hand washing?
Medical Asepsis
When should radiographers wash their hands?
Before and after each patient
What are the benefits of alcohol based hand rubs?
- Require less time
- Convenient
- More effective for standard hand washing than soap
- More accessible than sinks
- Reduce bacterial counts on hands
- Improve skin condition
When x-raying a patient in isolation what must the radiographer do?
- Wash hands before entering the room and immediately after leaving
- Wear gloves, masks as indicated on the isolation notice posted outside the room
- Cover the cassette with plastic sterile bag
- Dispose of all contaminated laundry in biohazard bags
What is isolation?
Physical separation of the infected person and non-infected persons as a way of breaking the cycle of infection
What type of asepsis is isolation?
Medical asepsis
What is another term for isolation precautions?
Barrier precautions
What is contact isolation?
A type of isolation that is used to prevent the spread of disease acquired from close contact with an infected individual
What is respiratory isolation?
Type of isolation used to prevent the spread of infection acquired through respiratory droplets
Where are patients placed in respiratory isolation?
In a private room where all visitors and healthcare workers must wear masks
What is disease specific isolation?
Patients with the same diseases are roomed together
What is strict or complete isolation?
A private room with a closed door where patients that are highly contagious stay
What must be used in strict or complete isolation?
Use of gloves, masks and gowns when in contact with the patient
What is protective isolation or reverse isolation?
A modified form of strict isolation where patient who are high risk of infection stay
What types of patients follow protective isolation?
Burn victims, organ transplant patients, patients with severely compromised immune systems
What are standard precautions?
Type of infection control that should be used for all patients with BBP
What fluids that require standard precautions?
Blood, semen, Synovial fluid, saliva and CSF
What should be used in standard precautions?
- Hand washing
- Gloves
- PPE
- Needle recapping
- Bio spills
What do standard precautions primarily control?
The spread of Hepatitis B and HIV
What do standard precautions assume?
That all blood and bodily fluids from any person may be a source of infection
What do standard precautions not apply to?
Feces, urine, mucus, sweat, tears and vomit unless they contain blood
What body fluids have been proven to spread HIV?
Blood, semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk and other bodily fluids containing blood
What are additional body fluids that may transmit HIV?
- Fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord
- Fluid surrounding the bone joints (synovial fluid)
- Fluid surrounding unborn babies
What standard precautions should be taken for all patients?
- Wash hands often
- Wear disposable gloves whenever you touch bodily fluids
- Eye protection when there is a chance of fluid splattering
- Wear plastic gowns when clothing is likely to be soiled
- Never recap needles
- Disposal of all contaminated material
What is Hepatitis?
A collection of viral diseases that affect the liver
How many types of hepatitis are there?
7 types (A-G)
What disease are healthcare workers more likely to contract?
Hepatitis over HIV
Should needles be recapped?
No
If needles need to be recapped what method should be used?
One-hand technique
What are the 3 steps of the one-hand technique?
- Place the cap on a flat surface, then remove your hand from the cap
- With one hand, hold the syringe and use the needle to scoop up the cap
- When the cap covers the needle completely use the other hand to secure the cap and dispose in the Sharps bin
What are the ways blood exposures should be managed?
- Provide immediate care to the exposed site
- Wash wounds and skin with soap and water
- Flush mucous membranes with water
- Seek help at employee health service
What is a biohazard kit?
Kit that includes supplies for a quick and cost-effective clean-up of a bio-hazardous spill or situation
What do biohazard kits include?
- Absorbent powder pack
- Scoop & scraper
- Disinfectant surface wipe
- Red biohazard waste bag
- Pair of latex free exam gloves
- Antimicrobial hand wipes
- Exposure incident form
What is AIDS?
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
What is HIV?
Human immunodeficiency virus
What is CDC?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
What is CSF?
Cerebral Spinal Fluid
What is HBV?
Hepatitis B Virus
What is OI?
Opportunistic infections
What is STD?
Sexually transmitted disease
