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Nursing 20G - PART OF INFECTION CONTROL > Infection Control > Flashcards

Infection Control Flashcards

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1
Q

Causes of surgical/traumatic wound HAIs?

A
  • Improper skin preparation
  • failure to cleanse skin properly
  • failure to use aseptic technique for dressings
  • use of contaminated antiseptics
  • improper hand hygiene
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2
Q

Causes of urinary tract HAIs?

A
  • Unsterile catheterization
  • inadequate catheter monitoring, tubing obstructions
  • improper specimen collection
  • urine reflux into bladder
  • improper hand hygiene
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3
Q

Causes of respiratory tract HAIs?

A
  • Contaminated respiratory equipment
  • failure to use aseptic technique during suctioning
  • improper secretion disposal
  • improper hand hygiene
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4
Q

Causes of bloodstream HAIs?

A
  • Contaminated IV tubing/needles
  • medication additives to IV fluid
  • connecting tubes to IV system
  • improper IV insertion/care
  • failure to change IV site with inflammation
  • improper blood product administration
  • improper dialysis catheter care
  • improper hand hygiene
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5
Q

What is immune senescence?

A

An age-related decline in immune system function that increases susceptibility to infection and weakens the overall immune response.

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6
Q

How do age-related changes affect response to infection in older adults?

A

They can result in atypical signs and symptoms of infection.

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7
Q

What factors increase older adults’ exposure to pathogens?

A
  • Chronic diseases
  • Hospitalization
  • Institutionalization
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8
Q

Risk factors for infections in older patients include

A
  • Poor nutrition
  • Unintentional weight loss
  • Low serum albumin levels.
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9
Q

What infections have increased risk and mortality in older adults due to age-related immune changes?

A

Pneumonia and influenza.

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10
Q

Older adults present with altered responses to infections how?

A

With altered, atypical signs and symptoms such as confusion.

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11
Q

How does susceptibility to infection change with age?

A

Susceptibility changes throughout the lifespan. Infants have immature defenses, while older adults experience immune senescence increasing susceptibility.

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12
Q

What protects breastfed infants from infection?

A

Breastfed infants receive antibodies from the mother’s breast milk, providing greater immunity than formula-fed infants.

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13
Q

What infections are children still susceptible to as their immune system matures?

A

Children remain susceptible to common cold viruses, intestinal infections, and vaccine-preventable diseases like mumps and measles if not vaccinated.

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14
Q

Examples of inadequate primary defenses

A
  • Broken skin or mucosa
  • traumatized tissue
  • decreased ciliary action
  • obstructed urine outflow
  • altered peristalsis
  • change in pH of secretions
  • decreased mobility
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15
Q

Examples of inadequate secondary defenses

A

Reduced hemoglobin level
- suppressed white blood cells (from medication or disease)
- suppressed inflammatory response (from medication or disease)
- low white blood cell count (leukopenia)

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16
Q

Defenses against infection in young/middle-aged adults

A
  • Normal flora
  • body system defenses
  • inflammation
  • immune response - viruses are the most common infectious cause
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17
Q

Changes in defenses with aging

A
  • Declining immune response (especially cell-mediated immunity)
  • alterations in skin/urinary tract/lung structure
  • function increasing pathogen invasion risk
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18
Q

How does inadequate protein intake affect infection risk?

A
  • Protein breakdown exceeds synthesis
  • reducing defenses and impairing wound healing
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19
Q

Nursing assessment for nutritional risk

A
  • Assess dietary intake
  • ability to tolerate solid foods
  • swallowing/digestive issues
  • confusion/weakness affecting self-feeding
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20
Q

How does stress affect infection risk during the alarm stage?

A

The basal metabolic rate increases as the body uses energy stores. Adrenocorticotropic hormone raises serum glucose and decreases anti-inflammatory responses through cortisone release.

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21
Q

How does prolonged/intense stress impact infection risk?

A

Elevated cortisone levels result in decreased resistance to infection. Continued stress leads to exhaustion, depleting energy stores and leaving no resistance to invading organisms.

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22
Q

What conditions increase physiological stress and infection risk?

A

Conditions that increase nutritional requirements like surgery or trauma also increase physiological stress and infection risk.

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23
Q

How do chronic diseases increase infection risk?

A

Chronic diseases increase infection risk by impairing the immune system’s defenses against infectious organisms.

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24
Q

What diseases/conditions compromise the immune system’s defenses?

A

Leukemia, AIDS, lymphoma, aplastic anemia weaken defenses against infectious organisms by impacting white blood cell production.

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25
Q

How do other chronic conditions increase infection susceptibility?

A

Conditions like CAD, diabetes, arthritis, MS cause general debilitation and nutritional impairment increasing infection risk. Cancer, renal failure, vascular disease, and COPD also impair immune defenses.

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26
Q

How do burns increase infection risk?

A

Burns cause exceedingly high infection susceptibility due to skin damage. Greater burn depth and extent further increases infection risk.

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27
Q

What medications increase infection risk by impairing inflammatory response?

A

Adrenal corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory medications that cause protein breakdown and impair the inflammatory response against bacteria and pathogens.

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28
Q

How do cytotoxic/antineoplastic medications increase infection susceptibility?

A

They depress bone marrow activity and cause normal cell toxicity, preventing production of lymphocytes and sufficient white blood cells to fight infection.

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29
Q

What medications taken by transplant recipients increase infection risk?

A

Cyclosporine and other immunosuppressants decrease the body’s immune response to prevent organ rejection, but also increase susceptibility to infection.

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30
Q

How does radiotherapy for cancer increase infection risk?

A

Massive radiation doses that destroy cancer cells can also depress bone marrow activity and destroy normal cells needed to fight infection.

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31
Q

What are common sites of localized infections?

A

Areas of skin or mucous membrane breakdown like wounds, pressure injuries, mouth lesions, and abscesses beneath the skin.

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32
Q

What are the risk factors for infections?

A
  • Inadequate primary and secondary defences
  • Nutritional Status
  • Stress
  • Disease process
  • Medical therapy
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33
Q

What are examples of inadequate primary defenses that increase infection risk?

A

Broken skin or mucosa, traumatized tissue, decreased ciliary action, obstructed urine outflow, altered peristalsis, change in pH of secretions, decreased mobility.

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34
Q

What are examples of inadequate secondary defenses that increase infection risk?

A

Reduced hemoglobin level, suppression of white blood cells (medication or disease related), suppressed inflammatory response (medication or disease related), low white blood cell count (leukopenia).

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35
Q

How do defenses against infection change with aging?

A

The immune response, particularly cell-mediated immunity, declines. Older adults also experience alterations in skin, urinary tract, and lung structure/function that increase infection risk.

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36
Q

How does inadequate protein intake affect infection risk?

A

When protein intake is inadequate, the rate of protein breakdown exceeds tissue synthesis, reducing the body’s defenses against infection and impairing wound healing.

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37
Q

What patient factors increase risk of inadequate dietary intake?

A

Difficulty swallowing, alterations in digestion, confusion or weakness preventing self-feeding put patients at risk of inadequate intake and subsequent infection risk.

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38
Q

How does stress affect the body’s resistance to infection?

A

During the alarm stage of stress, cortisone levels increase, leading to decreased resistance to infection. Continued intense stress depletes energy stores, leaving the body with no resistance against invading organisms.

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39
Q

What conditions increase physiological stress and infection risk?

A

Conditions that increase nutritional requirements like surgery or trauma also increase physiological stress and susceptibility to infections.

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40
Q

How do diseases of the immune system raise infection risk?

A

Conditions like leukemia, AIDS, lymphoma and aplastic anemia weaken the body’s defenses against infectious organisms by compromising immune function.

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41
Q

What chronic diseases increase susceptibility to infections?

A

Chronic diseases like coronary artery disease, diabetes, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, end-stage renal disease, peripheral vascular disease, COPD raise infection risk due to factors like debilitation, nutritional impairment, and impaired immune/body system defenses.

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42
Q

Why do burn patients have an extremely high infection risk?

A

Burn patients have exceedingly high susceptibility to infection due to the damage to skin surfaces acting as an entry point for pathogens. Greater burn depth and extent further increases this risk.

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43
Q

What medications impair the inflammatory response and increase infection risk?

A

Adrenal corticosteroids cause protein breakdown and impair the inflammatory response against bacteria and pathogens.

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44
Q

How do cytotoxic/antineoplastic medications raise infection susceptibility?

A

They depress bone marrow activity, preventing production of lymphocytes and white blood cells needed to fight infection. They also damage normal cells, impairing cellular defenses.

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45
Q

What medications taken by transplant recipients increase infection risk?

A

Immunosuppressants like cyclosporine decrease the body’s immune response to prevent organ rejection, but also raise susceptibility to infections.

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46
Q

Why are cancer patients receiving radiotherapy at risk for infections?

A

The high doses of radiation destroy cancerous cells but can also depress bone marrow activity and damage normal cells needed for immune function.

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47
Q

Where are localized infections most common?

A

Areas of skin or mucosal breakdown like wounds, pressure injuries, mouth lesions, and skin abscesses.

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48
Q

List some chronic diseases that increase infection risk.

A

Coronary artery disease, cancer, COPD, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, neurodegenerative diseases, renal failure, asthma, comorbidities (having two or more chronic conditions).

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49
Q

What factors related to chronic diseases raise the risk of infection?

A

Smoking/alcohol use, poor nutrition, obesity, older age, low economic status, unhealthy environment, inactivity, impaired circulation, immunosuppressive medications, compromised host defenses (low WBC count), compromised immune system, stress.

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50
Q

What factors increase the risk of hospital-acquired infections in chronic disease patients?

A

Long hospitalizations, surgical procedures, invasive procedures like intubation/lines, antibiotic use, wounds/incisions/burns/ulcers, inadequate hand hygiene, exposure to healthcare environment, immobility, treatments like dialysis or TPN.

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51
Q

What should the nurse do first when assessing for localized infection?

A

Inspect the area for redness and swelling caused by inflammation. Wear disposable gloves if drainage is present.

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52
Q

What may the characteristics of infected drainage indicate?

A

The color (yellow, green, brown) may suggest the type of pathogen causing the infection.

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53
Q

What symptoms may a patient report with a localized infection?

A

Pain, tenderness, tightness and edema around the site. Movement may be restricted if the infected area is large.

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54
Q

What are common symptoms of systemic infections?

A

Fever, fatigue, malaise, enlarged/swollen/tender lymph nodes, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting.

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55
Q

What should nurses monitor for systemic infection development?

A

Changes in activity level, lethargy, loss of energy, elevated temperature, increased heart/respiratory rates, low blood pressure, system-specific signs like productive cough or cloudy urine.

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56
Q

Why may infections lack typical signs in older adults?

A

Lower body temperatures, decreased pain sensation, weaker immune response.

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57
Q

What may be the only symptoms of infection in older adults?

A

Atypical symptoms like new/increased confusion, incontinence, agitation.

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58
Q

hat percentage of older adults with pneumonia may lack typical symptoms?

A

Up to 20% may not have fever, chills, or productive cough.

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59
Q

What atypical symptoms may indicate pneumonia in older adults?

A

Increased heart rate with no reason, confusion, generalized fatigue.

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60
Q

What is important to note about laboratory values for detecting infection?

A

Laboratory values alone are not sufficient to detect infection. Other clinical signs must also be assessed.

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61
Q

What factors other than infection can alter test values?

A

Trauma and physical stress can cause an elevation in neutrophil count. Cultures may show organism growth without overt infection signs.

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62
Q

What should nurses assess for patients with infections?

A

Assess how the infection affects the patient’s and family’s physical, psychological, social and economic needs.

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63
Q

What challenges may a patient with a chronic infection like AIDS face?

A

Serious psychological challenges from self-imposed isolation or rejection by family/friends.

64
Q

What approach can help determine patient/family ability to adjust to the disease?

A

A case-management approach to assess resources to manage healthcare challenges.

65
Q

Importance of Accurate Diagnosis

A

An accurate nursing diagnosis with the correct underlying cause is crucial for developing an effective, individualized plan of care to meet the patient’s needs.

66
Q

How to manage a risk for Infection for broken Skin

A

Minimize risk through proper hygiene, wound care, and preventing exposure to pathogens.

67
Q

How to manage a risk for infection for malnutrition?

A

Provide adequate nutritional support, maintain fluid balance, and monitor nutritional status to reduce infection risk.

68
Q

Infection-Related Nursing Diagnoses

A

Nurses diagnose risk for infection based on predisposing factors. They also diagnose problems resulting from effects of infection on the patient’s condition.

69
Q

What is the basis for planning nursing care?

A
  • The nursing diagnosis and related factors
  • Sets attainable outcomes
  • Interventions are purposeful and directed
70
Q

For a patient with risk for infection related to broken skin, what are examples of expected outcomes?

A
  • Reduction in wound size by specific measurement
  • Absence of wound drainage
  • Achieving intact skin without infection
71
Q

How are interventions for infection care goals determined?

A
  • Collaboration with patient, family, healthcare team
  • Aim to meet expected outcomes
  • Overall goals met once outcomes achieved
72
Q

What are common goals for infection care?

A
  • Preventing transmission of infection
  • Promoting wound healing
  • Managing symptoms like fever, pain
  • Restoring health status
  • Reducing risk factors
73
Q

How can nurses reduce the risk of infection?

A
  • Recognize and assess patient’s risk factors
  • Implement appropriate preventive measures
74
Q

How can nurses prevent infection from developing or spreading?

A
  • Minimize transmission of organisms to potential sites
  • Eliminate reservoirs of infection
  • Control portals of exit and entry
  • Avoid actions that transmit microorganisms
75
Q

What methods do nurses use to control microorganism spread?

A
  • Proper use of sterile supplies
  • Barrier protection
  • Proper hand hygiene
76
Q

How can nurses strengthen a patient’s defenses against infection?

A
  • Nutritional support
  • Rest
  • Maintain physiological protective mechanisms
  • Recommended immunizations
77
Q

When a patient develops an infection, what should nurses do?

A
  • Continue preventive care
  • Ensure healthcare personnel and patients not exposed
  • Implement isolation precautions if communicable disease
78
Q

What are communicable diseases?

A
  • Infectious diseases that spread from person to person
  • Caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses
  • Transmission can be direct, indirect, droplet, airborne, or vehicle
79
Q

Give examples of communicable diseases.

A
  • Influenza, HIV, salmonella, E. coli, TB
  • Malaria, Coronavirus, Ebola, MRSA, meningitis
  • Cholera, chickenpox, West Nile virus, SARS
  • Avian influenza, H1N1
80
Q

How can the spread of communicable diseases be prevented?

A
  • Good hand hygiene
  • Surface cleansing
  • Use of protective equipment
  • Vaccinations
  • Isolation precautions
  • Education and training of healthcare staff
81
Q

What challenges do healthcare centers face during a pandemic?

A
  • Already taxed trying to meet service demands
  • Limited ability to handle large influx of patients
  • Require communication between centers, community, emergency organizations
82
Q

What resources guide infection control during a pandemic?

A
  • Federal, regional, and local level resources
  • Assist in planning to stop disease spread
  • Coordinate resources and manage patient care
  • Existing pandemic plans must be implemented
83
Q

During acute care measures, what does treatment of an infectious process involve?

A
  • Eliminating infectious organisms
  • Supporting the patient’s defenses
  • Collecting specimens for cultures to identify causative organism
  • Administering prescribed antibiotics and treatments
  • Monitoring for adverse reactions
  • Assessing infection progress
84
Q

What measures are needed for systemic infections?

A
  • Prevent complications of fever
  • Maintain fluid intake to prevent dehydration from diaphoresis
  • Ensure adequate nutritional intake for increased metabolic rate
  • Allow rest to preserve energy for healing
85
Q

How are localized infections managed?

A
  • Remove debris to promote wound healing
  • Apply wound care principles
  • Use special dressings to remove infectious drainage
  • Insert drainage tubes for infected body cavities
  • Use aseptic techniques for wound management
86
Q

How can nurses support the patient’s body defenses?

A
  • For infectious diarrhea, maintain skin integrity
  • Perform routine hygiene like bathing, oral care
  • Protect skin and mucous membranes from microorganism invasion
87
Q

What is asepsis?

A
  • The process for keeping away disease-producing microorganisms
  • Aseptic technique renders an area and objects free from microorganisms
88
Q

What are the two types of aseptic technique?

A
  • Medical asepsis (clean technique)
  • Surgical asepsis
89
Q

What are examples of medical asepsis?

A
  • Hand hygiene
  • Using clean gloves to prevent blood/body fluid contact
  • Routinely cleaning the environment
90
Q

When is an area or object considered contaminated?

A
  • After it becomes unsterile or unclean
  • If it contains or is suspected of containing microorganisms
  • Examples: used bedpan, floor, used dressing
91
Q

Why must nurses follow aseptic principles and procedures?

A
  • To prevent infection and control its spread
  • To break the infection chain during routine care
  • To provide a safe patient environment
  • Lack of aseptic technique risks impairing patient recovery
92
Q

What is the purpose of proper cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization?

A
  • Significantly reduce and often eliminate microorganisms
  • Performed in healthcare centers by sterile processing department
  • Nurses may also need to perform these functions
  • Principles apply to home settings as well
93
Q

What is cleaning?

A
  • Physical removal of foreign material like dust, soil, blood, secretions from objects and surfaces
  • Involves using water, mechanical action, detergents or enzymatic products
  • Objects that contact infectious material are considered contaminated
94
Q

What protective measures should nurses take when cleaning soiled equipment?

A
  • Wear mask and protective eyewear/face shield
  • Wear waterproof gloves
  • These barriers provide protection from infectious organisms
95
Q

What are the steps to ensure an object is properly cleaned?

A
  • Rinse with cold water to remove organic material
  • Wash with soap and warm water, then rinse
  • Use brush to remove dirt from grooves/seams
  • Rinse with warm water and dry
  • Prepare for disinfection or sterilization if needed
96
Q

What should be done with cleaning materials after use?

A
  • The brush, gloves, and sink used are considered contaminated
  • They should be cleaned and dried after use
97
Q

What is disinfection?

A

Elimination of all pathogens except bacterial spores from inanimate objects

98
Q

What is used for disinfection?

A

Chemicals, heat, or ultraviolet light

99
Q

What must be done before disinfecting an item?

A

The item must be thoroughly cleaned first

100
Q

Give examples of disinfectants.

A

Alcohols, chlorines, glutaraldehydes, phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds

101
Q

What precautions should nurses take with disinfectants?

A

Disinfectants can be caustic and toxic to tissues. Read labels and follow manufacturer recommendations, some are for non-critical items only.

102
Q

What are critical items?

A
  • Instruments and devices that enter sterile tissue or vascular system
  • Present high infection risk if contaminated with microorganisms including bacterial spores
  • Must be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized
  • Examples: surgical instruments, intravascular catheters, urinary catheters, needles, respiratory deep suction catheters
103
Q

What are semicritical items?

A
  • Devices that contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin but do not penetrate
  • Present infection risk, must be free of all microorganisms except bacterial spores
  • Must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected
  • Examples: electronic thermometers, respiratory therapy equipment, oral suction catheters, endotracheal tubes, endoscopes, specula
104
Q

What are noncritical items?

A
  • Items that only touch intact skin or do not directly touch the patient
  • Must be cleaned or cleaned and disinfected
  • Examples: bedpans, urinals, commodes, blood pressure cuffs, linens, stethoscopes, some eating utensils
105
Q

What is sterilization?

A
  • Destruction of all microorganisms, including spores
  • Most common sterilizing agents are steam under pressure, ethylene oxide gas, hydrogen peroxide plasma, and chemicals
  • Items must be thoroughly cleaned before sterilization
106
Q

What factors influence efficacy of disinfecting or sterilizing?

A
  • Concentration of solution and duration of contact
  • Type and number of pathogens present
  • Exposure of all surface areas to agents
  • Temperature of the environment
107
Q

How can nurses control or eliminate reservoirs of infection?

A
  • Eliminate or control sources of body fluids, drainage, or solutions that may harbor microorganisms
  • Carefully discard articles contaminated with infectious material
  • Follow institutional guidelines for disposal of infectious waste
108
Q

How can nurses control portals of exit for microorganisms?

A
  • Wear a mask when needed and avoid talking directly into patient’s face
  • Never talk, sneeze or cough over surgical wounds or sterile fields
  • Cover mouth/nose when sneezing or coughing
  • Teach patients to use tissues when coughing/sneezing
109
Q

How should nurses handle blood, body fluids, etc?

A
  • Wear disposable gloves when handling these fluids
  • Wear masks, gowns, eye protection if splashing is possible
  • Dispose soiled items in impervious plastic bags
  • Handle all lab specimens as if infectious
110
Q

What should nurses with respiratory infections do?

A
  • Consider not working; may be required to stay home
  • If working, wear a mask when close to patients
  • Pay special attention to hand hygiene
  • Avoid caring for highly susceptible patients
111
Q

How should bathing be done to reduce infection reservoirs?

A

Use soap and water to remove drainage, dried secretions, or excess perspiration

112
Q

How should dressing changes be handled?

A
  • Change dressings that become wet or soiled
113
Q

How should contaminated articles be disposed of?

A
  • Place tissues, soiled dressings, and soiled linen in moisture-resistant bags for proper disposal
114
Q

How should contaminated needles be handled?

A
  • Engage safety features and dispose in puncture-proof containers
  • Do not recap or attempt to break needles
115
Q

How should bedside units be maintained?

A
  • Keep table surfaces clean and dry
116
Q

How should bottled solutions be handled?

A
  • Do not leave open for prolonged periods
  • Keep solutions tightly capped
  • Date bottles when opened and discard per facility policy
117
Q

How should surgical wound drainage be managed

A
  • Keep drainage tubes and collection bags patent to prevent fluid accumulation under skin
118
Q

How should drainage bottles and bags be handled?

A
  • Empty and dispose per health agency policy
  • Empty all drainage systems each shift unless ordered otherwise
  • Never raise drainage bag above drain site unless clamped off
119
Q

What is required for effective infection control?

A
  • Nurses must remain aware of modes of transmission and ways to control them
120
Q

How should patient care items be handled?

A
  • Each patient should have their own personal set of care items (bedpans, urinals, basins, utensils)
  • Sharing these items can lead to transmission of infection
121
Q

How should thermometers be used?

A
  • Electronic thermometers should be used with a disposable probe sheath, discarded after each use
  • Single-use chemical strip thermometers present less infection risk
122
Q

What is the concern with using electronic thermometers for rectal temps?

A
  • Can be associated with spread of nosocomial diarrhea from C. difficile surviving on probes
  • In institutions with nosocomial diarrhea, not recommended for rectal temps
123
Q

How should soiled items/equipment be handled?

A
  • Must not touch nurse’s clothing
  • Common error - carrying dirty linen against uniform
124
Q

How should linen be transported?

A
  • Use fluid-resistant linen bags
  • Or carry with hands out from body
125
Q

What should be done laundry hampers?

A
  • Should be replaced before overflowing
126
Q

What is hand hygiene and why is it important?

A
  • The most important and basic technique for preventing transmission of infections
  • Includes using alcohol hand sanitizer before/after patient care, handwashing with soap/water when visibly soiled, and surgical scrubs when necessary
  • Removes soil and transient organisms from hands to reduce microbial counts
127
Q

What are the components of proper handwashing?

A
  • Using adequate soap
  • Rubbing hands together to create lather and friction
  • Rinsing under running water
128
Q

How can contaminated hands lead to cross-infection?

A

Example: Assisting a patient with secretions, then handling another patient’s food or medications without handwashing can transmit organisms

129
Q

What factors determine when and what type of hand hygiene is needed?

A
  • Intensity of contact with patients/contaminated objects
  • Degree of potential contamination
  • Patient and healthcare worker susceptibility to infection
  • Procedure or activity being performed
130
Q

How long should handwashing with soap and water take?

A
  • 40-60 seconds for routine handwashing
  • More time if hands are visibly soiled
  • Plain soap removes some microbes, antiseptics needed to kill/inhibit further
131
Q

Why are alcohol-based hand antiseptics recommended?

A
  • Improve hand hygiene practices
  • Protect healthcare workers’ hands
  • Reduce transmission of pathogens to patients and personnel
  • Have excellent germicidal activity, more effective than plain or antimicrobial soap and water
  • Contain emollients to prevent skin drying
  • More effective than water as they are quick to use and available at bedside
132
Q

When should hands be washed with plain soap and water?

A
  • When hands are visibly soiled
133
Q

When can alcohol-based hand rubs be used for routine hand decontamination?

A
  • If hands are not visibly soiled, in all other clinical situations
134
Q

What are the “four moments” for performing hand hygiene in healthcare settings?

A
  • Before initial patient/environment contact
  • Before aseptic procedures
  • After body fluid exposure risk
  • After patient/environment contact
135
Q

When else should hands be cleaned?

A
  • Before and after glove use
  • When moving from contaminated to clean body site during patient care
  • Before clean procedures like handling food or medications
136
Q

What should be done if alcohol hand rub is unavailable?

A
  • Wash hands with soap and water in all clinical situations
137
Q

When should soap and water be used instead of alcohol rubs?

A
  • If C. difficile exposure is suspected or proven, as alcohol has poor activity against spores
138
Q

What should nurses teach patients and visitors?

A
  • Proper handwashing technique and times
  • Importance of cleaning under nails
  • Artificial nails should not be worn as they harbor more pathogens
139
Q

When is teaching hand hygiene particularly important?

A
  • If healthcare will continue at home after discharge
140
Q

When should patients wash their hands?

A
  • Before eating or handling food
  • After handling contaminated equipment/linen/organic material
  • After elimination
141
Q

When should visitors wash their hands?

A
  • Before eating or handling food
  • After contact with infected patients
  • After handling contaminated equipment/organic material
142
Q

Does using gloves replace hand hygiene?

A
  • No
143
Q

Why perform hand hygiene before putting on gloves?

A
  • To prevent contamination of gloves to be used and rest of box
144
Q

Why perform hand hygiene after removing gloves?

A
  • Gloves may have unnoticed tears/punctures
  • Hands must be cleaned after doffing gloves
145
Q

What measures help control entry of microorganisms?

A
  • Maintaining integrity of skin and mucous membranes
  • Keeping patient’s skin well lubricated with lotion
  • Avoiding positioning on objects that can break skin
  • Using dry, wrinkle-free linens
  • Frequent turning and positioning
  • Frequent oral hygiene
  • Using water-soluble ointment on lips
146
Q

How should perineal care be done for those with female genitalia?

A
  • Clean rectum and perineum by wiping from urinary meatus toward rectum
  • Cleanse from least to most contaminated area to reduce genitourinary infections
  • Meticulous and frequent perineal care is important for those wearing incontinence pads
147
Q

Who is at risk for infections from accidental needlesticks?

A
  • Patients
  • Healthcare workers
  • Housekeepers
148
Q

What should nurses do after administering injections/IV catheters?

A
  • Engage any safety device
  • Carefully dispose of needles in puncture-resistant box
149
Q

What are prime sources of exposure to bloodborne pathogens?

A
  • Stray needles in bed linens
  • Needles carelessly thrown in wastebaskets
150
Q
  • Stray needles in bed linens
  • Needles carelessly thrown in wastebaskets
A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
151
Q

What should be done if a needlestick occurs?

A
  • Report it immediately
  • Complete an injury report
  • Seek appropriate treatment
152
Q

What precautions should be taken with urinary catheters and drainage sets?

A
  • Keep connection between catheter and drainage tube closed and intact
  • Keep outflow spigots on drainage bags closed to prevent bacteria entry
  • Minimize catheter movement at urethra by securing with tape
  • Do not share urine measuring containers between patients
153
Q

How should closed drainage systems for wound/body fluids be managed?

A
  • Keep drainage tube exit site clear of excess moisture and drainage
  • Keep all tubing connected throughout use
  • Open drainage receptacles only when discarding/measuring drainage
154
Q

What is the proper technique for obtaining specimens from drainage tubes/IV ports?

A
  • Perform hand hygiene first
  • Disinfect tubes/ports by wiping outward with alcohol/iodine/chlorhexidine solution
  • Place sterile gauze around open drainage tube ends temporarily
  • Best practice is keeping drainage tubes closed and secure
155
Q

How should wound cleansing be done to prevent microorganism entry?

A
  • Clean outward from the wound site
  • Apply antiseptic/clean by wiping around wound edge first, then outward
  • Use clean gauze for each revolution around wound circumference
156
Q

How can nurses protect patients’ resistance to infection?

A
  • Intervene to maintain body’s normal reparative processes
  • Follow agency’s isolation guidelines to protect self and others
157
Q
A

Nursing 20G - PART OF INFECTION CONTROL (1 decks)

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