Infection control and spirometry

Question 1

List some infection control measures for spirometry

Answer 1

-screening of patients prior to testing
-hand washing
-disposable equiptment
-one way valve
-antibac antiviral filters
-PPE
-ventilation and fallow time
-rigorous cleaning or sterilization of equiptment

Question 2

What is the purpose of one way mouthpieces?

Answer 2

-allow patients to breath into equiptment, prevent breathing in from equiptment
-largely subceded by antibacterial antiviral filters

Question 3

what is the purpose of antibacterial/antiviral filters?

Answer 3

-provides a barrier between patient and filter
-appropriate filter depends on efficency,cost and performance
-low resistance/dont affect test results
-single patient use
-prevention is better than cure
-cost range 0.45-2.50

Question 4

Describe the structure of the antibacterial/antiviral filters

Answer 4

-electrostatically charged fibres

-filters are hydrophobic

-bacteria/viruses are trapped as they pass through interlocking fibres of the filter

-attracted to fibres by +ve and -ve electrostatic charges on the fibres

-efficency of filtration depends on fibre density, thickness of filter and airflow speed

-need to find compromise between best filtration and lowest resistance

Question 5

How do we decide whether to clean equiptment via physical or chemical means?

Answer 5

-cost
-ease of access
-effectiveness
-availability/time duration

Question 6

define sterilisation

Answer 6

the complete destruction of microorganisms by physical or chemical agents including spores

Question 7

Define disinfection

Answer 7

eliminates most or all microorganisms except bacterial spores on inanimate objects

can disinfect without sterilising but not vice versa

Question 8

Describe some basic cleaning procedures

Answer 8

-wipe equiptment and surfaces between patients
-single use of consumables where possible
-tubing and other non disposables should be immersed in sterilising agents or steam sterilised as required
-a log of cleaning procedures should be kept together with patient details , date and time of testing

Question 9

What are some important points to remember when it comes to cleaning of equiptment?

Answer 9

-allow to air dry
-only re assemble equiptment when parts are completly dry
-ensure all parts have been fitted correctly
-carry out calibration/verification process before re using equiptment

Question 10

whats the difference between an IIR mask or an FFP3 mask?

Answer 10

IIR- 98% Bacterial filtration efficency
-water resistant layer
-protects others but not the wearer

FFP3-99% Bacterial filtration efficency
protects wearer from infection