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Nursing 20G- Infection Control > Infection Control: Protecting the Susceptible Host > Flashcards

Infection Control: Protecting the Susceptible Host Flashcards

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1
Q

How can regular bathing help protect normal defenses?

A
  • Removes transient microorganisms from skin surface
  • Helps keep skin hydrated and intact when lubricated
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2
Q

What does regular oral hygiene help remove?

A
  • Proteins in saliva that attract microorganisms
  • Tartar and plaque that can cause infection
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3
Q

How does adequate fluid intake help?

A
  • Promotes normal urine formation
  • Allows outflow of urine to flush bladder/urethral lining
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4
Q

For immobilized patients, what should nurses encourage?

A
  • Routine coughing and deep breathing
  • Keeps lower airways clear of mucus
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5
Q

What should nurses encourage for patients?

A
  • Proper immunization
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6
Q

How can nurses help maintain healing processes?

A
  • 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
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7
Q

What is the risk of transmitting HAIs or infectious diseases among patients?

A
  • The risk is high
  • Healthcare workers may not be aware patients have infections
  • Majority of nosocomial infection organisms found in patients’ body substances
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8
Q

What body substances always contain potentially infectious organisms?

A
  • Feces
  • Saliva
  • Mucus
  • Wound drainage
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9
Q

What guidelines did the CDC issue for isolation precautions?

A
  • Two-tiered approach issued in 1996, updated in 2007
  • Adopted by most healthcare agencies
  • Similar to PHAC’s guidelines
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10
Q

What is the first tier of isolation guidelines called?

A
  • Routine practices
  • Designed for all patients regardless of diagnosis/presumed infectiousness
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11
Q

When do routine practices apply for healthcare workers?

A
  • Potential exposure to blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions (except sweat)
  • Exposure to non-intact skin or mucous membranes
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12
Q

What does routine practices include?

A
  • Appropriate use of gowns, gloves, masks, eye protection
  • Handwashing
  • Cleaning equipment
  • Proper disposal of contaminated linen and sharps
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13
Q

What is the second tier of isolation guidelines called?

A
  • Additional precautions
  • Also known as isolation precautions
  • Designed to contain pathogens in one area, usually patient’s room
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14
Q

When are isolation precautions used?

A
  • For patients infected/colonized with highly transmissible pathogens
  • For epidemiologically significant pathogens
  • Used in addition to routine practices
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15
Q

What are the three categories of isolation precautions?

A
  • Airborne precautions
  • Droplet precautions
  • Contact precautions
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16
Q

How are isolation precautions determined?

A
  • Depends on how the pathogen is spread
  • E.g. Active TB requires airborne precautions with special mask/ventilated room
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17
Q

Basic principles for any isolation precaution category:

A
  • 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
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18
Q

What psychological impact can isolation have on patients?

A
  • 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
19
Q

What should be explained to patients before isolation?

A
  • 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
20
Q

How can involving patients/families help?

A
  • Participating in infection prevention increases chances of reducing spread
  • Should be taught hand hygiene and barrier protection use
  • Allows them to practice procedures
21
Q

How can nurses improve sensory stimulation during isolation?

A
  • 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
22
Q

What are routine practices for?

A
  • Care of all patients
  • Incorporates precautions against bloodborne pathogens and body substance isolation
23
Q

When must hand hygiene be performed?

A
  • 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
24
Q

When should gloves be worn?

A
  • 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
25
Q

When should masks, eye protection or face shields be worn?

A
  • If patient care may generate splashes or sprays of blood or body fluids
  • If there is risk of droplet transmission
26
Q

When should gowns be used?

A
  • To protect uncovered skin and prevent soiling of clothing
  • During procedures likely to generate blood or body fluid splashes/sprays
27
Q

How should patient care equipment be handled?

A
  • Reusable equipment must be properly cleaned and reprocessed
  • Single-use items must be discarded
28
Q

How should soiled linen be handled?

A
  • All soiled linen should be handled the same for all patients
  • If bag soaks through, use an additional bag
29
Q

How should used sharps be discarded?

A
  • Discarded in puncture-resistant container
  • Container located in area where item is used
30
Q

When is a single room needed for routine care?

A
  • Generally unnecessary for routine care
  • Needed if patient visibly soils environment or cannot maintain hygiene
31
Q

What are airborne precautions for?

A
  • Known or suspected infections transmitted by airborne droplets
  • Examples: measles, chickenpox, disseminated zoster, tuberculosis
32
Q

What barrier protection is needed for airborne precautions?

A
  • Private room with door kept closed
  • Negative pressure airflow of at least 6 air exchanges per hour
  • Respiratory protection device (e.g. N95 respirator) when patient has TB, varicella, disseminated zoster, measles and worker is not immune
33
Q

What are droplet precautions for?

A
  • Known or suspected infections transmitted by droplets from coughing, sneezing, talking
  • Examples: diphtheria, rubella, influenza, pertussis, mumps, meningococcal pneumonia, coronavirus, sepsis
34
Q

What barrier protection is needed for droplet precautions?

A
  • Private room or cohort patients (door closed unless bed >2m from door)
  • Mask worn when within 2m of patient
35
Q

What are contact precautions for?

A
  • Known or suspected infections caused by direct or indirect contact
  • Examples: MDROs, C. difficile, major wound/GI/respiratory/skin infections
36
Q

What barrier protection is needed for contact precautions?

A
  • Private room or cohort patients (door can be open)
  • Gloves and gown upon entry to isolation room
  • Limit patient movement outside room except for necessary treatments
  • Clean/disinfect or discard items before removal from room
37
Q

What should nurses discuss with families for isolated patients?

A
  • Explain patient’s risk for depression or loneliness
  • Teach principles of isolation
  • Encourage avoiding expressions of revulsion, fear or disgust
  • Discuss ways to provide meaningful stimulation
38
Q

What types of airflow are used in isolation rooms?

A
  • Negative pressure airflow to prevent infectious particles from leaving the room
  • Positive pressure airflow for highly susceptible patients like organ transplant recipients
39
Q

What should be posted outside the isolation room?

A
  • A card listing the required precautions for that isolation category
  • Serves as a reference for healthcare workers and visitors
  • Alerts anyone entering that special precautions must be followed
40
Q

What facilities should an isolation room contain?

A
  • Hand hygiene facilities with soap/water and alcohol-based hand rub
  • Bathing facilities
  • Toilet facilities
41
Q

When should hand hygiene be performed in an isolation room?

A
  • Before approaching the patient’s bedside
  • Before leaving the room
  • Special procedures if no toilet facilities available
42
Q

Where should personal protective equipment be stored?

A
  • In an anteroom between room and hallway
  • Or in a convenient location close to point of use
43
Q

What containers should be in patient rooms for disposal?

A
  • Impervious bag for soiled/contaminated linen
  • Waste receptacle with plastic liners
  • Rigid disposable container for used needles/syringes/sharps
44
Q

How should nurses handle equipment in isolation rooms?

A
  • Evaluate what can be taken in based on microorganism and transmission mode
  • Dedicate use of items like stethoscopes for patients with MRSA
  • Clean and disinfect devices before using on other patients
  • Avoid touching/removing exposed articles to prevent transmission

Nursing 20G- Infection Control (14 decks)

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