Infection Prevention and Control of Environment, Instrumentation, and Supplies Flashcards
define microbiology
the science of microscopic organisms and diseases they cause
what do cleaning practices follow?
microbiology
What are 2 key strategies to reduce the patient’s risk for infection?
- providing a clean environment
- processing surgical instrumentation properly
Who is ultimately responsible for providing a clean environment in which the operative or invasive procedure will take place?
the RN
What are traffic zones?
they support the movement of patients, personnel, equipment, and supplies by designating the apparel appropriate for each zone in the periop environment
which 2 areas should be clearly marked with signage?
semi-restricted and restricted areas
What are the 3 zones in the perioperative environment?
- unrestricted
- semi-restricted
- restricted
In the unrestricted area, there are no restraints on what?
attire
what are permitted in the unrestricted area?
street clothes
What may be included in unrestricted areas?
- locker rooms
- lounge areas
- preoperative and postoperative areas with access to procedural rooms
What is the only thing that may be restricted in unrestricted areas?
public access
What does the semi-restricted area contain?
the peripheral support areas, including storage for equipment and supplies
What are also within the semi-restricted zone?
hallways with access to the restricted areas and to the preoperative and postoperative areas
individuals in the semi-restricted area should wear what?
hospital-issued surgical attire and cover all head and facial hair
the semi-restricted area is restricted to what?
authorized personnel
what is included in the restricted area?
the operating rooms and other rooms where invasive procedures are performed
the restricted area should only be accessible from where?
semi-restricted area
what is required in the restricted area?
specific attire, including a surgical face mask
who is allowed in the restricted area?
only authorized personnel are allowed in this area to support patient care
environmental controls related to what?
maintaining established parameters for humidity, temperature, ventilation, and appropriate cleaning practices
What are monitored within the perioperative department suite to provide an optimal environment for conducting operative and invasive procedures?
suite, humidity, temperature, ventilation, and air exchanges
OR doors should remain closed to do what?
to maintain acceptable HVAC ranges
What kind of air pressure do decontamination and cleaning areas require?
negative air pressure to prevent disbursement of microorganisms into the surrounding environment
Why is environmental cleaning performed?
to decrease the incidence of SSIs by reducing the number of pathogens that can be transferred from inanimate objects to the patient
the surgical suite can be cleaned by who?
personnel with varied experience and training
unlicensed assistive personnel who clean perioperative patient care areas need the same training on what?
the same training on personal protective equipment, bloodborne pathogens, and standard and transmission-based precautions as other surgical team members
HVAC parameters for the OR
1. total air exchanges
2. total outdoor air exchanges
3. temperature
4. relative humidity
5. pressure
- 20
- 4
- 68-75 degrees(20-24 degrees)
- 20-60%
- positive
HVAC parameters for the GI suite
1. total air exchanges
2. total outdoor air exchanges
3. temperature
4. relative humidity
5. pressure
- 6
- 2
- 68-75 degrees (20-24 degrees)
- 20-60%
- no recommendation
HVAC parameters for the procedure room
1. total air exchanges
2. total outdoor air exchanges
3. temperature
4. relative humidity
5. pressure
- 15
- 3
- 68-73 degrees (20-23 degrees)
- 20-60%
- positive
HVAC parameters for the decontamination area
1. total air exchanges
2. total outdoor air exchanges
3. temperature
4. relative humidity
5. pressure
- 6
- 2
- N/A
- N/A
- negative
HVAC parameters for the sterile processing clean room
1. total air exchanges
2. total outdoor air exchanges
3. temperature
4. relative humidity
5. pressure
- 4
- 2
- 68-73 degrees (20-23 degrees)
- max 60%
- positive
HVAC parameters for the sterile storage area
1. total air exchanges
2. total outdoor air exchanges
3. temperature
4. relative humidity
5. pressure
- 4
- 2
- max 75 degrees
- max 60%
- positive
Wearing the correct PPE is important for what 2 things?
- infection control measure
- caustic cleaning chemicals
what 3 things should cleaning agents and disinfectants be?
- hospital grade
- registered with the US environmental protection agency
- specific for targeted organisms
What is not intended for cleaning in the OR?
alcohol, high-level disinfectants, and liquid sterilants
Why are alcohol, high-level disinfectants, and liquid sterilants not allowed?
may damage the finish of metal furniture and equipment
How should disinfectants be applied?
- with a low-linting cloth
- clean, reusable mop head
- single-use mop
soiled cleaning materials are considered what? and should never be what?
contaminated; and should never be returned to the cleaning solution container or used for multiple patients
in order for disinfectants to reach their maximum effectiveness what must be provided?
adequate time, expressed as dwell time
What negates the efficacy of the cleaning process?
attempts to cut down on room turnover time by decreasing dwell time or beginning to clean the room before the patient is transferred to PACU
what are multidrug-resistant organisms?
microorganisms, mostly bacteria, that are resistant to one or more classes of antimicrobial drug
What is every perioperative team member’s responsibility regardless of the type of health care facility or setting when it comes to cleaning?
preventing MDRO transmission by adhering to strict cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization practices
What do extremely virulent pathogens require?
they require specialized environmental cleaning procedures
What are examples of extremely virulent pathogens?
- clostridium difficile
- prions
- some multidrug resistant organisms
What is the best strategy for effectively removing the pathogen from environmental surfaces?
using the appropriate hospital-grade EPA-approved disinfectant and following the manufacturer’s instructions for use
what should be done first, unless the disinfectant is approved for cleaning?
the surface should be cleaned first to remove organic matter and debris
Why do spills pose a safety risk?
because personnel may slip and fall on wet surfaces or be exposed to caustic substances or noxious fumes
What do spills containing biohazardous substances serve as?
reservoirs for disease transmission when clothing or shoes spoiled by the spill are worn outside the OR
What are considered biohazardous substances
blood or body fluids
How should biohazardous spills or other potentially infectious substances be removed?
with an absorbent cloth followed by cleaning and disinfecting the affected area
How should OTHER spills be managed?
based on recommendations described on the SDS for the substance involved
What should always be worn when handling a spill?
PPE (gloves, masks, eye protection, other impervious clothing as necessary
Room turnovers involve what?
standardized practices that performed at the conclusion of each operative or invasive procedure
What instruments, trash, and soiled linen placed in?
fluid-impervious containers and transported to the appropriate processing area
Before the first procedure of the day, inspect what?
the OR for cleanliness
What should also be done before the first procedure of the day besides inspection?
damp dust all horizontal surfaces using a lint-free cloth
what is the survival time for clostridium difficile?
> 5 months
What is the cleaning agent for clostridium dificile?
beach, hydrogen peroxide
What is the survival time for methicillin-resistant staphyloccoccus aureaus
7 days-7months
What is the cleaning agent for MRSA?
EPA-registered disinfectants effective against staphylococcus aureaus will kill MRSA
What is the survival time of Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
hours to days (airborne) to 6 months (in dust if protected from sunlight)
What is the cleaning agent for mycobacterium tuberculosis?
UV light, EPA registered disinfectant. Transmission through contact is very rare. N-95 PPE is not necessary if the room has been ventilated for 28 minutes at 15 air exchanges/hour
What is the survival time of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE)
5 days-4 months
What is the cleaning agent for vancomycin-resistant enterococcus?
EPA-registered disinfectant
Can suction container contents be poured down a drain?
yes unless contraindicated by local environmental regulatory agencies
How does room cleaning work?
move from cleaner areas towards more contaminated areas
high-touch surfaces (control panels, workstations, door handles, telephones, light switches) require what?
extra attention during routine cleaning
Why do the use of computers in the OR pose a challenge?
because they may harm keyboards
single-use items should never be used for what?
for multiple patients
Ceilings and walls should be what?
cleaned as necessary after each procedure
Even with the most thorough cleaning practices, the floor of the Or should always be considered what?
contaminated
Terminal cleaning occurs when?
after the last procedure of the day
what is the purpose of terminal cleaning?
to provide a thorough, final disinfection of perioperative areas
What 3 things should be done when doing a terminal clean?
- the entire floor, including under the OR bed and any other equipment, should either be wet vacuumed or mopped.
- clean all exposed surfaces, including wheels and casters.
- Remove, inspect, and clean mattress pads
What should be done with cracked mattresses or positioning pads?
they should be discarded because they harbor moisture and bacteria
What should hospitals do regarding cleaning in unused semi-restricted or restricted areas?
develop and follow their own policies
Disposal of waste should follow what?
local, state, and federal guidelines
Where is information regarding what PPE should be worn when handling certain hazardous materials?
SDS
How does OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standards define regulated waste?
any item that, when compressed, would release blood or other potentially infectious material (OPIM) in any form (i.e. liquid, semi-liquid, solid)
Where must personnel place materials contaminated with blood or other body fluids?
in closable, leakproof containers or bags that are color coded, labeled, or tagged for easy identification as biohazardous waste
Where should hazardous materials be stored?
in a secured area
What do hazardous materials need to be labeled with?
name, use, and warnings
hazardous materials or solutions must be transported from the point of use to the disposal area in what? With a what?
sealed, leakproof, nonbreakable container. With a label that can identify the waste contents
extra care must be taken with what kind of agents? why?
cytotoxic agents; they may leave a residue on instruments and subsequently require specific cleaning of these instruments
Staff working in decontam should be notified about what? why?
of instruments contaminated with cytotoxic agents so that they can have the appropriate PPE
All personnel coming in contact with what should double glove?
chemotherapeutic agents
occupational doses of radiation should be what?
as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA)
what is the per-year maximum radition exposure limit for radiation workers?
5,000 millirem (mrem) per year (a chest x-ray is 4 mrem)
Personnel should adhere to what kind of precautions when processing instruments used for handling radiation seeds?
standard precautions