Infection Control Flashcards
What are three goals of infection control?
Reduce risk of health care workers acquiring infection; Reduce incident of transmitting health care worker flora to patients; Reduce transmission of infectious pathogens from patient to patient
What are the three types of infections?
Nosocomial infection; Iatrogenic infection (type of nosocomial); Community-acquired infection
What are nosocomial infections?
Originates from hospital
What are common nosocomial infection sites?
Blood stream (venous access devices) & urinary tract (catheters); wounds after surgery or respiratory tract infections
What are major microorganism groups?
Bacteria, fungi, viruses & parasites
What is bacteria? Example?
Microscopic, single-celled organisms; endospores; TB/Strep throat
What is fungi? Example?
Macroscopic or microscopic; Yeasts: source of vitamins & minerals/ produce beer/wine; Molds: primary source of material for production of antibiotic drugs & flavor for cheeses; Thrush from yeast
What are parasites? Example?
Organisms that live on or in other organisms at expense of host organ; can be plant or animal
What are viruses? Example?
Smallest microorganism to produce disease; genetic material either DNA OR RNA; requires host cell; Influenza, cold, mumps, measles, hepatitis
What are the five elements needed to transmit infections?
Infectious agents > Reservoir/environment > Portal of exit > means of transmission > Portal of entry
What are two main means of transmission?
Indirect: touching objects (fomites) that have been contaminated by infectious person; Direct: Contact w/infectious secretions that come from eyes, nose or mouth of host as they cough, sneeze or talk
What are some types of transmission?
Vehicles: transport infection (food, water, drugs, contaminated blood); Airborne: residue from evaporated droplets suspended in air for long periods of time; Vectors: Insect or animal carriers of disease
What makes the disease process?
Incubation stage > Prodromal stage > Full Disease stage > Convalescent stage
What is HIV/AIDS?
Retrovirus; Destroys host cell & replicates while infecting other cells; HIV results in AIDS; 5 phases
What is viral hepatitis (Definition & types)?
Inflammation of liver cells; 5 RNA viruses: Fecal route (A & E) & Blood/body fluid (B, C, D, G); B & C through needle stick w/ C most common
What is TB?
Tuberculosis; recurrent/chronic disease caused by myobacterium tuberculosis; in lungs
What is Pulmonary TB?
Asymptomatic; onset & early stages go unnoticed
What is MRSA (definition & common pts)?
Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (Super bug); nursing home pts, dialysis patients, aged & debilitated, ICU pts, any pt hospitalized for long periods of time
What is C-diff?
Clostridium difficle; spore-forming bacteria that releases toxins into bowal (resistant to disinfectants; spread by hands)
What is medical asepsis?
Microorganisms eliminated through water, soap, friction & various chemical disinfectants
What is surgical asepsis?
Microorganisms & spores completely destroyed by means of heat or chemical process
What is disinfection? What is antiseptic?
Disinfection: Removal of pathogenic microorganisms from objects; Antiseptic: removal on body surfaces
What are the 5 moments for hand hygiene?
Before & after touching pt; Before & after procedure; After touching pts surroundings
How long should hands be washed?
At least 15 seconds
What is PPE?
Personal Protective Equipment; Gloves, gown, mask, shield
What is Standard Precaution?
Based on assumption that every patient has potential of having infectious disease
What is the 2-tier standard precaution system?
Tier 1: Standard; Tier 2: Transmission Based Precautions
What are the three Transmission Based Precautions?
Airborne, Contact, Droplet
What is airborne isolation? Example?
Microbes spread on evaporated droplets suspended in air or carried on dust particles in air may be inhaled by persons in room or air space; TB, chicken pox, measles
What are airborne precautions?
Closed door, negative pressure isolation room, pt wears surgical mask, healthcare worker wears N95 respiratory mask
What are droplet precautions? Example?
Droplets contaminated w/ pathogenic microorganisms in air from infected person w/ droplet borne infection; sneeze, cough & talking; Rubella, pneumonia, mumps, influenza
How far should people stand from droplet patients?
3 feet
What are two types of contact spread? What disease could be transmitted?
Direct & indirect contact; C-diff, rotavirus, MRSA, Hep A
What are contact precautions?
Private room, gloves before and after being in room, gown
What are expanded precautions?
Reverse/Protective isolation; Strict isolation: No visitors w/ sickness, gown/gloves/mask
