Infection Control Flashcards
What is the primary goal of infection control in nursing?
Protect patients from infections and meet professional standards and guidelines.
What are the six links in the chain of infection?
- Infectious agent 2. Reservoir 3. Portal of exit 4. Mode of transmission 5. Portal of entry 6. Susceptible host.
What are the stages of a typical infectious process?
- Incubation 2. Prodrome 3. Illness 4. Decline 5. Convalescence.
Name three factors that increase the risk of infection.
- Age (very young or very old) 2. Immunosuppression 3. Chronic disease.
What are standard precautions in infection control?
Assume every patient is potentially colonized or infected and apply hand hygiene before and after patient contact.
What are transmission-based precautions?
Precautions for patients with known or suspected infections requiring specific measures based on transmission mode.
Fill in the blank: _______ is the absence of pathogens.
Asepsis
What is the purpose of infection control bundles?
To prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) through bundled guidelines for practice.
What is a CLABSI bundle?
A set of practices to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections, including hand hygiene and maximum barrier precautions.
What actions are recommended to prevent CAUTI?
- Prevent unnecessary catheterization 2. Early removal 3. Maintain an aseptic system.
What is the incubation stage in the infectious process?
The period between pathogen invasion and the first appearance of symptoms.
What is the prodromal stage characterized by?
The first appearance of vague symptoms.
What is the significance of active immunity?
It occurs when the body produces its own antibodies to protect against pathogens.
What is passive immunity?
Immunity gained through the transfer of antibodies from another source, such as immunizations or mother’s milk.
What are the two types of asepsis?
- Medical Asepsis 2. Surgical Asepsis.
Which precautions are taken for airborne transmission?
Use of N95 respirators and placing patients in negative-pressure rooms.
True or False: Surgical asepsis involves sterilization of instruments and maintaining a sterile field.
True
What is the role of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in infection control?
To protect healthcare workers from exposure to infectious agents.
What is the importance of hand hygiene in infection control?
It is the most effective way to stop the spread of germs.
What are the nursing considerations for clients in isolation rooms?
- Maintain human contact 2. Use touch when safe 3. Explain precautions to the patient.
What is the purpose of antimicrobial therapy?
To kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms.
What are the key components of a sterile field setup?
- Use sterile gloves 2. Sterile supplies 3. Maintain cleanliness.
What factors can increase susceptibility to infections?
- Poor nutrition 2. Lack of physical activity 3. Stress and grief.
Fill in the blank: The process through which immune cells learn to recognize pathogens is called _______.
Specific immunity
What is the role of prophylactic antibiotics in surgical site infection prevention?
Administered during and after surgery to prevent infections.
What are the signs of infection that nurses should monitor for?
- Redness 2. Edema 3. Fever.
What is a sensitivity test?
A test to determine which antibiotics are effective against specific bacteria.
What should nursing staff do if they suspect an infection?
Gather health history, assess for symptoms, and initiate appropriate interventions.
What is the purpose of cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in infection control?
To reduce the risk of pathogen transmission.
What are the stages of infection?
Incubation. Infection begins in the stage between successful invasion of the pathogen into the body and the first appearance of symptoms. In this stage, the person does not suspect that they have been infected but may be capable of infecting others. This stage may last only a day, as with the influenza virus, or as long as several months or even years, as with tuberculosis.
Prodrome. The prodromal stage is characterized by the first appearance of vague symptoms. For example, a person infected with a cold virus may experience a mild throat irritation. Not all infections have a prodromal stage.
Illness. The patient becomes ill when the signs and symptoms of the disease appear. If the patient’s immune defenses and medical treatments (if any) are ineffective, this stage can end in death.
Decline. When the patient’s immune defenses, along with any medical therapies, successfully reduce the number of pathogenic microbes. As a result, the signs and symptoms of the infection begin to fade.
Convalescence. Healing begins as the remaining number of microorganisms approaches zero. Convalescence may require only a day or two or, for severe infections, as long as a year or more.
What is antipyertic?
Meds that relieve itching.
Indicated for fever and discomfort as prescribed
Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin
Monitor fever for effectiveness
Document
What is an antimicrobial?
kills or stops growth of microrganisms.
How do we know if it is affective? Monitor for fever, redness, pain
Do you take for flu? No., antivirals don’t really work well.
What is a CLABSI?
Central line associated bloodstream infection
How to prevent a clabsi?
A CLABSI bundle may include items such as a specific way to perform hand hygiene prior to central line insertion, the use of a maximum barrier during insertion, the solution used to disinfect the insertion site, and advice to avoid insertion into the femoral site.
The bundle also includes nursing care after insertion, such as specifics on how and when to change the sterile dressing over the catheter:
Weekly or as needed
Sterile cleaning with chlorhexidine (or alcohol if allergy), sterile gloves, antimicrobial covering
Everyone in the room must be masked during dressing change
Lines flushed q8h
Rigorously cleaning end caps and replacing as needed
Q shift CHG
What do you do with a end cap? clean it w/ alcohol.
You wipe it before flushing it or giving meds. “Scrub the hub”. They are sterile
A CLABSI BUNDLE DOES WHAT?
Infection control bundles (also called care bundles) are guidelines for practice that are bundled together in an effort to prevent HAIs such as CAUTIs, CLABSIs, VAPs, and SSIs.
After drawing blood on a CLABSI?
Change it afterwards
How often do you change a CLABSI?
1 once a week
Clabsi–what type of procedure?
sterlie, nurse and patient must be masked up
What is standard precautions?
Standard precautions, the first tier of protection, apply to care of all patients. You must assume that every patient is potentially colonized or infected with an organism that could be passed to others in the healthcare setting.
Hand hygiene before and after patient contact for every precaution, every time.
What are the modes of transmission?
Indirect vs direct contact
droplet
airborne
vector
The immune system what is 3rd line of defense?
Targets specific infections.
BREAST MILK
AQUIRED MEMORY CELLS
VACCINES
Prevent a cold/ virus?
Hand washing.
use CHG wipes on..
body, PICC Lines, care bundles surgery
What type of room cant student enter?
Neutropenic
eg: chemo rooms
to do a cultural on MRSA?
nasal swab
What is a Cauti?
Actions to prevent CAUTI include preventing unnecessary catheterization, early removal, and maintaining an aseptic system.
Most facilities require nursing to ensure additional peri care every shift as well as CHG wipes.
For added control, ensure containment bag does not touch the floor while hanging below bladder and tubing is not kinked.
Medical vs Surgical asepsis?
medical Refers to procedures that decrease the potential for the spread of infections.
Hand hygiene
Environmental cleanliness
Standard precautions
Protective isolation
surgical-Sterilization can be accomplished through the use of special gases or high heat.
Surgical equipment and implanted devices are examples of materials that must be sterilized.
To create a sterile area, housekeeping personnel perform extensive cleaning using special solutions and procedures.
All health personnel working in the area must wear appropriate surgical attire and perform a surgical hand scrub – prewash followed by a brush or brushless surgical scrub.
How to prevent SSI before surgery?
SSI infection prevention starts with hand hygiene and gloves.
Sites should be properly cleaned and covered.
Assessments should be done every shift.
Prophylactic antibiotics administered during and after surgery.
Monitor for s/s of infection.
After care of surgery..
Wound care
Look for pain, redness, swelling, fever
cover w dressing if required
c. diff
C. diff prevention protocols include:
Washing hands with soap and water to prevent spread.
Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and laundry to reduce risk.
Continuing isolation and contact precautions.
Using antibiotics appropriately.
Promoting strict glove use and hand hygiene.
Ensuring appropriate cleaning and disinfection of equipment and environment.
ADPIE ON c. diff
A: S/S diarrhea, might be due to antibiotics
risk of skin breakdown/ dehydration, electrolyte imbalance
D: C.diff
Plan- send culture to lab
Implement- might get new antibiotic for treatment. Give IV fluids
E-have a formed poop by end of shift.
chain of infection
- infectious agent
2.reservoir - portal of exit
4.mode of transmission
5.portal of entry - susceptible host
