Infection Prevention and Control

Question 1

What types of infections generally spread via direct contact transmission?

Answer 1

Scabies

HSV

Question 2

What types of infections generally spread via indirect contact transmission?

Answer 2

Bacteria (e.g. MRSA, VRE)

Viruses (e.g. influenza, norovirus)

Question 3

Give 5 examples of diseases spread by droplet transmission

Answer 3

Influenza
Pertussis
SARS
N. meningitidis
Rhinovirus

Question 4

Give 4 examples of diseases spread by airborne transmission

Answer 4

TB
Measles
Varicella
Influenza/SARS (?)

Question 5

What are standard precautions?

Answer 5

Use of gloves, gowns, goggles/face shields

For all body fluids, secretions and excretions except sweat

Question 6

What are contact precautions?

Answer 6

Use of gowns and gloves for all patient contact

For patients with diarrhoea, excessive wound drainage, multidrug resistant organisms, respiratory viruses

Question 7

What are droplet precautions?

Answer 7

Use of surgical masks and single patient rooms

For patients with pertussis, meningococcus, respiratory viruses

Question 8

What are airborne precautions?

Answer 8

Use of negative pressure ventilation, N95 (duckbill) mask, single patient room with closed door
For patients with TB, chicken pox, measles, pandemic influenza, SARS

Question 9

What is the difference between sterilisation, disinfection and cleaning?

Answer 9

Sterilisation: killing or removing all viable organisms
Disinfection: eliminating many or all pathogenic microorganisms (except spores)
Cleaning: removal of visible soil from objects and surfaces

Question 10

What are the Spaulding classifications for sterilisation/disinfection?

Answer 10

Critical: objects which enter normally sterile tissue should be sterile
Semicritical: objects that touch mucous membranes or skin that is not intact require high-level disinfection
Noncritical: objects that touch only intact skin require low-level disinfection

Question 11

What are some methods used for critical but heat-sensitive objects?

Answer 11

Gas, hydrogen peroxide plasma, vaporised hydrogen peroxide, ozone or chemical sterilisation

Question 12

What are some methods used for high-level disinfection?

Answer 12

Glutaraldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, orthophthalaldehyde, peracetic acid with hydrogen peroxide

Question 13

What is the main method used for low-level disinfection?

Answer 13

Ethyl or isopropyl alcohol

Question 14

Define asepsis

Answer 14

Free from infection or infectious material

Question 15

What is ANTT?

Answer 15

Aseptic non-touch technique

Question 16

What is the advantage of chlorhexidine gluconate?

Answer 16

Binds to top layer of skin resulting in persistent activity

Question 17

What is the advantage and disadvantage of povidone iodine?

Answer 17

Kills quickly but no residual effect, and inactivated by organic material (can only be applied to clean skin)

Question 18

What is the advantage and disadvantage of alcohol?

Answer 18

Kills more quickly than chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone iodine
Little residual effect