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Infection Control Flashcards

1
Q

What is an infection?

A

When the presence of a pathogen leads to a chain of events, all components of chain have to be present for it to occur

nurses use infection control processes to break the chain

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2
Q

What is a pathogen?

A

any microorganism or microbes that can cause disease

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3
Q

what is colonization?

A

the presence and growth of microorganisms within a host but no tissue invasion or damage.

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4
Q

What is a communicable disease?

A

a infection that can be spread directly from person to person

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5
Q

What are the 6 links in the chain of infection?

A

infectious agent or pathogen

reservoir or source for pathogen growth

portal of exit from the reservoir

mode of transmission

portal of entry to host

susceptible host

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6
Q

What is transient flora?

A

microorganisms picked up from something else

can produce infection

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7
Q

What is normal flora

A

microorganisms that are normally present in specific areas in our body

may cause infection if moved to a different area

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8
Q

What does virulence mean?

A

The ability of the pathogen to cause a disease

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9
Q

What does an iatrogenic infection mean?

A

caused by the caregiver.

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10
Q

a microorganisms potential to produce a disease depends on what?

A

the number of microorganisms present

virulence

the ability to enter and survive in the host

susceptibility/attraction of the host

conduciveness of the environment

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11
Q

What are reservoirs?

A

a place where the pathogen can survive, multiply and wait to get transferred to a susceptible host

(animals, food, water, insects, inanimate objects, the human body)

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12
Q

What does a reservoir require, what is the perfect reservoir?

A

food

oxygen

water/moisture (wound drainage)

temperature (warm preferred)

pH (like it more alkaline)

light (most like it dark)

A DRESSED WOUND

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13
Q

What are some portals of exit?

A

Skin and mucous membranes (break in skin, exudate, mouth through saliva)

respiratory tract (sneezing, coughing, talking, breathing, trachs or ET tubes)

urinary tract (uti?)

GI tract (bowel elimination, bile, emesis)

Reproductive tract (semen, discharge, vaginal fluid)

Blood (HIV, Hepatitis)

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14
Q

What is the most common way a pathogen is transferred?

A

CONTACT

direct contact - person to person

indirect contact - person to object

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15
Q

What are some other modes of transmission?

A

airborne

vehicle

vector

droplet

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16
Q

what is a major mode of transmission in healthcare workers?

A

hands!!

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17
Q

What are some major portals of entry

A

skin and mucous membranes

respiratory tract

urinary tract

GI tract

reproductive tract

blood

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18
Q

What is a CAUTI

A

catheter associated UTI

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19
Q

What is a CLABSI

A

Central line associated blood stream infection (high mortality rate)

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20
Q

What is a susceptible host, compromised host?

A

susceptible is anyone at risk for infection (depends on susceptibility)

compromised is someone who is immunosuppressed, or has a break in their skin integrity

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21
Q

Does strength and number of bacteria effect severity of illness?

A

YES

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22
Q

How does our normal flora protect us?

A

It competes with the invaders for nutrients

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23
Q

What are some of our other defenses?

A

Body system defense

immune defenses (nonspecific innate and specific adaptive)

inflammatory response

immune response

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24
Q

What are the stages of inflammation?

A

Vascular and cellular response

exudate production

reparative phase

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25
What is our first line of defense?
THE SKIN
26
What does the sebum on skin have?
fatty acids that kill microorganisms
27
How does our skin shedding protect us?
it removes pathogens from our surface
28
How does our mouth protect us?
saliva (contains antimicrobial agents and washes away particles) mechanical barrier of intact teeth and gums
29
How are our eyes protective?
tearing and blinking (washes away microorganisms)
30
How is our respiratory tract protected?
cillia trap microorganisms mucous traps microorganisms coughing and sneezing gets them out
31
how is our urinary tract protected?
flushing action of urine acidity of urine
32
How is our GI tract protected
acidity of secretions rapid peristalsis
33
How is the vagina protected?
Has a very low pH
34
What is an HAI?
Health Care-assosciated infection
35
What are the different types of HAIs?
exogenous- acquired from outside the patient endogenous - acquired from self iatrogenic - infection resulting from a treatment or procedure
36
What is the most common site of a HAI?
lungs/ pneumonia
37
What is the most common site of iatrogenic infection?
CAUTI
38
What are some other common HAIS
CLABSI SSI (surgical site infection)
39
What are some risk factors for infection?
bad hand hygiene immunocompromised or poor health age poor medical or surgical asepsis by providers lifestyle choices
40
What are some more risk factors for infection?
Poor nutritional status - protein is necessary for wound healing and fighting infection Stress = increase in cortisol = wares on our system = decreased immune function disease medical therapy (chemo, radiation) Exposure (poor sanitation, parasitic diseases, foreign disease)
41
What are the 3 stages to the inflammatory response?
vascular and cellular stages - reddness, warmth, emema, pain, loss of function inflammatory exudate - serous, sanguineous, purulent tissue repair
42
What is malaise?
The bleh feeling when sick
43
What is anorexia?
loss of apetite
44
What is n/v?
nausea and vomiting
45
What is TCDB
turn cough deep breath
46
What is lymphadenopathy
swollen lymph nodes
47
What is leukocytosis?
WBCS > 10000
48
What is a shift to the left?
increase in certain types of WBCs
49
What are the different stages of infection and describe them?
incubation (exposure to development of symptoms) prodromal (general onset of symptoms to development of more distinct symptoms) illness (symptoms specific to infection occur) convalescence (acute symptoms disappear, total recovery may take days to months)
50
What is the difference between disinfection and sterilization?
disinfection - gets rid of most or all mircroorganisms except for spores sterilization - gets rid of all microorganisms including spores
51
Do you recap needles?
NO THROW IN SHARPS BOX
52
What about treatment bottles?
dont keep open for long periods date and discard
53
What about drainage bags or tubes?
keep patent dont lift above site unless clamped
54
What is the number one thing we can do to to prevent spread of infection?
WASH HANDS
55
is sharing a good idea all the time?
no, not really try to have your own personal set of care items
56
How can we control portals of entry?
maintain skin and mucous integrity good perineal care dispose of needles and IVs immediately keep closed systems closed clean access ports wound cleansing
57
How do we protect the patients normal defense mechanisms?
bathing oral hygene fluid maintenance TCDB every 2 hours immunizations
58
What is the main difference between medical asepsis and surgical asepsis?
medical or "clean technique" just limits the growth and spread of disease producing organisms surgical or "sterile technique" practices being free from all disease causing organisms
59
What are the two tiers of medical asepsis?
``` TIER ONE hand hygiene clean gloves when touching fluids, mucous membranes, or contaminated items PPE with anticipated exposure cough etiquette ``` TIER TWO add on to tier one with people with known infections ``` airborne precautions (private room, negative pressure airflow) for tb caregiver and visitors need N95 or HEPA mask ``` droplet precautions require private room and providers and visitors need to wear a mask contact precautions require private room, gloves, gown, disposal of dressing into nonporous bag without touching the side
60
When do wash your hands and when is it okay to use alcohol based gel or foam?
if hands arent visibly soiled then you can use alcohol based gel If hands are soiled then use anti-microbial or non-antimicrobial soap to wash hands
61
Describe a protective environment in the hospital?
private room positive pressure air flow HEPA filtration for incoming air respirator mask gloves and gowns
62
When do you wear a mask or eyewear?
masks - airborne or droplet precautions eyewear - splashing or spraying of blood or body fluid
63
What is the order of application?
mask, eyewear, gown, gloves
64
What is the order of removal?
gloves, mask, gown, eyewear
65
What indicates sterile technique?
invasive procedures nonintact skin perforation of patients skin some dressing changes care of patients in high risk groups
66
What do we need to know for newborns and infants for infection control?
they only have some passive immunity infections in mom can cause harm to the fetus direct contact with caregivers is the most frequent mode of transmission immunizations are important keeping on a schedule is important
67
What do we need to know about toddlers and infection control?
poor hygiene and personal control (put everything in their mouths) increased exposure through daycare/preschool teach kids to WASH HANDS
68
What about school age and adolescence and infection control?
infections decline at this point sharing combs and personal items may cause spread of skin disorders or pest infections May show increase of STIs and mono teach without preaching
69
What about older adults and adults and infection control?
`have immunity due to prior exposures incidence of infections increase with complications of chronic disease keep in mind normal physiologic changes with aging hospitalized adults have a 2-5 times higher rate of acquiring a nosocomial infection
70
What are the take home points?!?!?!?!?!
when in doubt wash your hands Maintaining a sterile field is essential how can you, as a nurse, control the chain of infection?

Fundamentals (7 decks)

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