Infection Control: Protecting the Susceptible Host Flashcards
How can regular bathing help protect normal defenses?
- Removes transient microorganisms from skin surface
- Helps keep skin hydrated and intact when lubricated
What does regular oral hygiene help remove?
- Proteins in saliva that attract microorganisms
- Tartar and plaque that can cause infection
How does adequate fluid intake help?
- Promotes normal urine formation
- Allows outflow of urine to flush bladder/urethral lining
For immobilized patients, what should nurses encourage?
- Routine coughing and deep breathing
- Keeps lower airways clear of mucus
What should nurses encourage for patients?
- Proper immunization
How can nurses help maintain healing processes?
- Encourage adequate fluid intake
- Encourage well-balanced diet with proteins, vitamins, carbs, fats
- Use measures to increase patient’s appetite
- Promote patient’s comfort and sleep
- Assist patient in learning stress reduction techniques
What is the risk of transmitting HAIs or infectious diseases among patients?
- The risk is high
- Healthcare workers may not be aware patients have infections
- Majority of nosocomial infection organisms found in patients’ body substances
What body substances always contain potentially infectious organisms?
- Feces
- Saliva
- Mucus
- Wound drainage
What guidelines did the CDC issue for isolation precautions?
- Two-tiered approach issued in 1996, updated in 2007
- Adopted by most healthcare agencies
- Similar to PHAC’s guidelines
What is the first tier of isolation guidelines called?
- Routine practices
- Designed for all patients regardless of diagnosis/presumed infectiousness
When do routine practices apply for healthcare workers?
- Potential exposure to blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions (except sweat)
- Exposure to non-intact skin or mucous membranes
What does routine practices include?
- Appropriate use of gowns, gloves, masks, eye protection
- Handwashing
- Cleaning equipment
- Proper disposal of contaminated linen and sharps
What is the second tier of isolation guidelines called?
- Additional precautions
- Also known as isolation precautions
- Designed to contain pathogens in one area, usually patient’s room
When are isolation precautions used?
- For patients infected/colonized with highly transmissible pathogens
- For epidemiologically significant pathogens
- Used in addition to routine practices
What are the three categories of isolation precautions?
- Airborne precautions
- Droplet precautions
- Contact precautions
How are isolation precautions determined?
- Depends on how the pathogen is spread
- E.g. Active TB requires airborne precautions with special mask/ventilated room
Basic principles for any isolation precaution category:
- Observe thorough hand hygiene before entering/leaving isolation room
- Properly dispose of contaminated supplies to prevent microorganism spread
- Apply knowledge of disease process and transmission mode when using barriers
- Ensure exposed persons are protected during patient transport
What psychological impact can isolation have on patients?
- Can lead to loneliness due to disrupted social relationships
- Potentially psychologically harmful, especially for children
- May alter body image, feeling unclean, rejected, lonely or guilty
- Limits sensory contact which can interfere with recovery
What should be explained to patients before isolation?
- Nature of the disease/condition
- Purposes of isolation
- Steps for carrying out specific precautions
- How infectious organisms are transmitted
- Difference between contaminated and clean objects
How can involving patients/families help?
- Participating in infection prevention increases chances of reducing spread
- Should be taught hand hygiene and barrier protection use
- Allows them to practice procedures
How can nurses improve sensory stimulation during isolation?
- Keep room clean and pleasant - open drapes, remove excess supplies
- Listen to patient’s concerns and interests
- Have conversations, especially during mealtimes
- Provide comfort measures like repositioning, massage, baths
- Encourage mobility and recreational activities when appropriate
What are routine practices for?
- Care of all patients
- Incorporates precautions against bloodborne pathogens and body substance isolation
When must hand hygiene be performed?
- Before and after direct patient contact
- Before and after contact with patient’s environment
- After contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions or contaminated equipment
- Before putting on gloves and after removing gloves
When should gloves be worn?
- When touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, non-intact skin or mucous membranes
- When touching contaminated items
- Gloves should be removed and hand hygiene performed between patients
- Gloves should be changed and hand hygiene performed between procedures on same patient