infection prevention and control Flashcards
What are healthcare-associated infections?
infections acquired in hospitals or bc of healthcare interventions
What are the 3 routes of HCAI transmission?
- direct/indirect contact
- droplet
- airborne
When should soap and water be used instead of hand gel?
- visibly soiled
- potentially contaminated with bodily fluids
- when caring for patients with diarrhoea or vomiting
What are the 5 moments of hand hygiene?
- before touching patient
- before clean/aseptic procedure
- after body fluid exposure risk
- after touching patient
- after touching patient surroundings
What does PPE stand for?
personal protective equipment
What does selection of PPE depend on?
- risk of transmission to patient/carer
- risk of contamination of clothing by patient bodily fluids
- fit for purpose
What are the two types of gloves and when should they be used?
- STERILE: sterile procedures, protection of you and patient
- NON-STERILE: dirty procedures, protect you
How do you mitigate the risks that come with gloves?
- decontaminate hands before and after
- new glove for each procedure/patient
- don’t wander/ use phone, etc
- don’t wash gloves
What are the types of respiratory protection?
- fluid resistant surgical masks
- respirators
When are fluid resistant surgical masks used?
risk of droplet transmission
When are respirators used?
- risk of airborne transmissions
- must be fit tested
What kinds of clothes protection is there?
aprons and gowns
Which reasons should you ALWAYS isolate a patient for?
- open tuberculosis
- measles
- infectious diarrhoea
- fever in returning traveller (if risk of VHF)
Why is screening for key organisms important?
- search and destroy
- antibiotic resistant organisms
Why is a MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) screening important?
- reduce bacterial load preoperatively
- alter antibiotic prophylaxis
- source isolation
