Infection Control Flashcards
nosocomial infection
any infection that is acquired due to exposure to a health care facility
Mneumonic for chain of transmission
I Really Prefer My Pasta Spicy
Components of the chain of transmission (6)
1) infectious agent
2) reservoir
3) portals of exit
4) modes of transmission
5) portals of entry
6) susceptible host
Infectious agent
bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites, prions
First thing you’d want to know about infectious agent after you identify it
enveloped or not
environmental stability
Reservoir
surroundings, people, water, food, animals
Portals of exit
bodily fluids (blood, nasal secretions, semen, vaginal fluid)
skin
feces
mucous membranes
Modes of transmission (4)
1) contact
2) respiratory
3) parenteral
4) fomites
Mode of transmission for MRSA
contact
hands, equipment
How to mitigate MRSA infection
hand hygiene
don’t share equipment between positive and negative patients
Mode of transmission for enterococcus
environment
How to mitigate enterococcus infection
environmental cleaning
Portals of entry
mucous membranes
respiratory tract
GI tract
broken skin
Susceptible host
age
immunosuppression
diabetes
burns
surgery
lines
immunization (lack of)
immunodeficiency
wounds
exposure to HAI
Modes of transmission - contact (2)
1) Direct
2) Indirect
Direct contact transmission
patient to patient
e.g. S. aureus
patient to self
Indirect contact transmission
patient to HCW to patient
patient to environment to HCW to patient
contaminated equipment
Reasons why indirect contact transmission would occur in the hospital
gloves used for more than 1 task
poor hand hygiene
equipment used on multiple patients
equipment not cleaned properly
Why did C. difficile at KGH keep spreading?
environmental pathogen
used microfiber clothes - held onto things from the environmental and spread them around
When washing hands, what does most of the work:
a) the soap silly!
b) rubbing action
b) rubbing action
Routes of respiratory transmission (2)
1) airborne
2) droplet
Airborne respiratory transmission
small droplets (< 5 um)
Examples of pathogens that spread via airborne respiratory transmission
tuberculosis
varicella
measles
Droplet respiratory transmission
larger droplets (> 5 um)
Examples of pathogens that spread via droplet respiratory transmission
meningococcal
meningitis
COVID
SARS
MERS
Acute
Respiratory Infections (ARI)
-influenza
-pertussis
Parenthal routes of transmission (2)
1) needle stick injuries
2) abraded skin, cuts, wounds
If a HCW is injured with a needle stick, who should you test for blood-born infection
a) HCW
b) patient
b) patient
If the patient was recently infected with HIV, how long would it take for their result to appear positive?
9 to 14 days
Less common routes of nosocomial transmission
food
medication
vectors - e.g. flies
How to protect yourself from infection in the health care setting
assume every patient is positive for pathogens
routine precautions
4 moments of hand hygiene
KNOW FOR SURE**
1) BEFORE initial patient/patient environment contact
2) BEFORE aseptic procedure
3) AFTER contact with bodily fluids
4) AFTER patient/patient environment contact
Aerosol generating procedures (many)
intubation or intubated patients
suctioning
ventilation
nebulization of medication
coughing patients
Contact precautions
gown and gloves
mask for ARI
single room
dedicated equipment
T or F: Patients on contact precautions are not allowed to leave their room.
FALSE
MAY be allowed to leave if they are not soiling the environment
Examples of pathogens for contact precautions
MRSA
C. difficile
VRE
fecal incontinence or gross soiling
uncontained wound drainage
Airborne precautions
gloves, gown
N95, eye protection
negative pressure, private room
door closed
Droplet precautions
eye protection, mask
also typically gown and gloves
door can be open, curtain pulled between beds
