Infection Control and Glucometry Flashcards
True or false? Assume all pts have blood borne pathogens
True
What are appropriate guidelines to protect yourself from infection control?
Proper hygiene before and after pt care (wear gloves!)
Avoid needle pokes
Throw everything away properly
Use mouth filters when doing mouth to mouth
Protect from splash risks with masks, face shields, eye protection and gowns
When might an optometrist be exposed to splash?
Incontinent or nauseated patients
When do you need to worry about transmission based precautions?
Usually in hospital setting
Highly transmissible or epidemiologically important dz
How would you protect yourself from transmission based diseases?
Would depend on whether it is airborne, droplet or contact based transmission
How would you know what transmission based precautions to take?
Would be noted on color coded sign outside of pt door
What precautions would you take if pt was in isolation?
Wash hands before and after leaving the room
May have to wear protection when near patient
Why worry about infection control?
Protect self and patients
What are Healthcare associated infections?
Infections pts require from healthcare setting usually from providers
What personal hygiene steps should you take for infection control?
Bathe, moisturize and keep nails trimmed
Keep hair off collar, beware scarves and ties
No/simple jewelry
Close toed shoes
Note! Always report contact with patients with communicable diseases!
Free Card
Why is handwashing so important?
Most important way to prevent spread of infection
When would you wash your hands?
Before and after seeing patient (do in front of pt)
After touching pt care equipment
Before putting on gloves or doing invasive procedures
How do you wash your hands?
For duration of “Happy Birthday” and turn faucet off with paper towel and open door with paper towel
What’s the current preferred decontamination method?
Alcohol based hand sanitizer
How do you apply hand sanitizer?
Rub on and around fingers
Let air dry
Don’t rinse with water
What should go into the sharps container? Where should the sharps container go?
Anything sharp including coverslips and slides as well as capillary tubes
They go near place of use
When should you dispose of sharps and biohazard bags?
When 3/4 full
What should go in biohazard bags?
Soft contaminated items
Anything that’s touched pt’s mucous membranes or got body fluids on them (except sweat)
How do you recap needles?
With one hand only if you ever need to
What should you avoid bringing into lab?
Open toed shoes
Food and drink
How do you get rid of contaminated linens
Roll up with contaminated side in
Avoid shaking or pulling free
How do you dispose of blood or urine?
Can wash into sewage system after flushing with lots of water
How often do you need to disinfect clinic lanes and what do you disinfect them with?
Daily. 1:10 soln of bleach or other thing that kills all viruses and bacteria
Need to dry surfaces completely and use gloves
How often do you clean instruments?
After each use
What can you use as personal protective equipment?
masks/face shields
Gloves and gown
When should you do an in-office glucose eval?
When pt doesn’t remember blood/plasma glucose or HbA1C level
When pt responds poorly to control of DM
If pt showing signs of DM
What are signs of possible DM
Weight change, increase thirst and urination Change in refractive error/transient blurring Diabetic retinopathy (Vascular changes)
What does each glucose meter come with and what wouldn’t you use in clinic?
Meter Disposable lancets test strips control solution Sampler (NOT USED IN CLINIC)
How often do you test with control solution and how do you do it?
Once a week When use new pack test strips Drop meter Results inconsistent with pt symptoms 1st drop into trash, use 2nd drop on glove into meter
How do you test pt glucose?
Put on gloves
Clean finger and gently squeeze before lancetting
Throw lancet into sharps container
Squeeze little drop out and put on test strip
Get a reading
When should you send a patient for full lab/PCP DM workup?
> 140mg/dL
Why can’t you use the meter to diagnose DM?
Not plasma glucose level (Can be ~15% lower)
When would glucose levels appear lower than they are?
Pt dehydrated
How are lab conditions different than just using a meter?
Fasting Plasma glucose levels done with 2 different samples
How would you get in-office testing privileges?
Get CLIA waiver
