Infection Prevention And Control Flashcards
What do we do before performing hand hygiene?
(4)
Expose forearms (bare below the elbow)
Remove all hand jewellery
Make sure fingernails are clean and short, and don’t wear artificial nails or nail products
Cover all cuts or abrasions with a waterproof dressing
What is allowed to be worn during hand hygiene?
(2)
A single,plain metal finger ring, e.g. wedding band (but should be removed or moved up during hand hygiene)
A religious bangle (but should be moved up the forearm during hand hygiene and secured during patient care activities)
When should we wash our hands with non-antimicrobial liquid soap and water?
(4)
If hands are visibly dirty
When caring for patients with vomiting or diarrhoeal illnesses
When caring for a patient with suspected or known gastrointestinal infections
(In all other circumstances, use alcohol-bases handrubs (ABHRs) )
When should we clean our hands?
(7)
Before touching a patient
Before clean or aseptic procedures
After body fluid exposure risk
After touching a patient
After touching a patient’s immediate surroundings
Before putting on gloves
After removing gloves
When should we wear gloves?
(4)
When exposed to blood and/or other body fluids or non-intact skin
It should be changed immediately after each patient and/or after completing a procedure even on the same patient, and hand hygiene is performed
Changed if a puncture is suspected
They’re NEVER cleaned with BBHR or soap between use
What is clinical waste?
(3)
Waste that contains micro-organisms or their toxins will cause disease
Waste that contains or is contaminated with a medicine that contains a biologically active pharmaceutical agent
Waste that is a body fluid containing or contaminated with a dangerous substance
What is offensive waste?
(3)
It’s not clinical waste
It’s not infectious
It’s non-hazardous
When was the Human Rights Act introduced?
1998
What did the Human Rights Act 1998 say everyone has the right to?
(4)
The right to life
Freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment
Freedom from slavery and forced labour
Right to liberty and security, e.g. when the government tried to force everyone to stay inside during covid
How does human rights link to healthcare professionals?
The standards expected of healthcare professionals may be higher than the minimum required by law, e.g. the government tried to get all healthcare professionals to get the Covid vaccine
How long do healthcare professionals have to report incidents after observing or suspecting something?
24 hours
When was the Mental Capacity Act introduced?
2007
What does the Mental Capacity Act say?
(3)
Everyone has capacity unless proven otherwise
It sets out the legal requirements to assess whether or not a person has the capacity to make a decision
Where a person lacks the capacity to make a decision for themselves, any decision must be made in that person’s best interests
When does a person lack capacity?
(4)
If they have an impairment or disturbance that affects the way their mind or brain works, e.g. a disability, the effect of drugs or alcohol, etc
The impairment means that they’re unable to make a specific decision at the time it needs to be made
People may have capacity to consent to some events but not to others. They may also be able to consent at some times but not others.
Lasting power of attorney (LPA)- this is a person who’s legally authorised to make decisions on behalf of someone. This lasts forever, even if the impairment goes
When is a LPA chosen?
Ideally, before the impairment gets too serious
Who is the LPA for children?
The parent/carer/guardian
What is important about consent?
(5)
Valid consent must be given before starting treatment or starting physical investigation
It allows patents to have a right over what happens to their own bodies
A professional who doesn’t respect this may be liable to both legal action by the patient and to action by their professional body
If professionals fail to get proper consent and the patient is harmed as a result of treatment, this may be a factor of negligence.
Where a patient has the capacity to make decisions about treatment, they have the right to refuse treatment- even when the consequences of such decisions could lead to their death
What does consent have to be for it to be valid?
(5)
Given voluntarily by an appropriately informed person who has the capacity to consent
The patient has to be over 18, with someone who has parental responsibility over them or with someone who has an LPA
Informed- the person must be given all of the information about what the treatment involves, including the benefits and risks, whether they’re alternative treatments, and what will happen if the treatment doesn’t happen
Current- the person should consent every time. The patient can withdraw at anytime for any reason. If this happens, write it down that the patient withdrew their consent.
Acquiescence, where the person doesn’t know what the treatment entails, is not consent
What is acquiescence?
Reluctant acceptance
What do we do when asking consent from a 17 year old?
Ask both the patient (17 yr old) and the carer
What are the types of consent?
(3)
Verbal
Written
Implied
