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Infection Prevention And Control > IPC Precautions > Flashcards

IPC Precautions Flashcards

1
Q

What are standard precautions?

A

The minimum standards to use during patient care

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2
Q

Why is hand hygiene so important?

A

Because hands create a mode of transmission

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3
Q

What are the five moments of hand hygiene?

A

Before touching patient
Before procedure or body fluid contact risk
After procedure or body fluid contact risk
After touching patient
After touching patient environment

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4
Q

What is alcohol-based hand rub?

A

Use when hands are NOT visibly soiled
Disables pathogens but doesn’t remove them

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5
Q

What factors affect efficacy of ABHR?

A

Alcohol type
Alcohol concentration (60% propanolol/70% isopropanolol/80% ethanol)
Contact time
Volume used
Wet vs dry hands

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6
Q

What does ABHR have low/no efficacy against?

A

Low efficacy against non-enveloped virus
No efficacy against protozoan oocytes and bacterial spores

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7
Q

What is hand washing?

A

Using soap and water
Mechanically removes microbes

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8
Q

What are the steps of using ABHR?

A

Apply palmful and cover all surfaces
Rub palm to palm
Palm to back of other hand with fingers interlaced - swap
Palm to palm with fingers interlaced
Lock fingers and rub up and down
Circle around each thumb - swap
Fingers to palm and rub in circles - swap
Once dry hands are done

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9
Q

What are the steps of hand washing?

A

Wet hands and apply soap
Rub palm to palm
Palm to back of other hand with fingers interlaced - swap
Palm to palm with fingers interlaced
Lock fingers and rub up and down
Circle around each thumb - swap
Fingers to palm and rub in circles - swap
Rinse off and dry thoroughly
Use towel to turn off tap

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10
Q

How long does the ABHR and hand washing processes take?

A

ABHR: 30 seconds
Hand washing: 60 seconds

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11
Q

What are the other factors to consider for hand care?

A

Wound care
No jewellery
No long sleeves
No ties or lanyards
Trimmed nails
No varnish and fakes

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12
Q

When are gloves not required when working with a patient?

A

If you are performing a task where there is no risk of body fluid contact. E.g. measuring BP

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13
Q

What is PPE?

A

Personal protective equipment
Provides barrier between you and the patient
Mask/face shield/respirator, gloves, gown, eye protection

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14
Q

When should you use a respirator?

A

In airborne precautions
For high risk procedure with unknown patient
For aerosol-generating procedures (e.g. nebulisers)

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15
Q

When should you wear a gown?

A

With infectious patients
When at risk of body fluid contact

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16
Q

What is respiratory hygiene?

A

Correct cough etiquette
Cough/sneeze into a tissue or your elbow
Hand hygiene

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17
Q

What is a ‘sharp’?

A

Any object with a corner, edge or projections which are capable of penetrating the skin

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18
Q

What factors make up the standard precaution of sharps?

A

Sharps bin readily available and not overfilled
Handling of sharps to a minimum
Do not recap or bend
Do not pass over by hand
Clear communication
Clear responsibility of sharp
Policy and procedure including injury protocol
Education

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19
Q

What is the exposure protocol?

A

Wash with soapy water or flush membrane well
Assess risk (exposure type, volume of fluid, patient status, worker susceptibility)
Test patient and worker
Counsel and follow up
Consider post-exposure prophylaxis within 72 hours

20
Q

What is aseptic technique?

A

A set of practises to reduce contamination when performing a procedure
Aseptic non-touch technique most common

21
Q

What are the 5 principles of aseptic technique?

A

Sequencing (performing task in order)
Environment control (reducing environment contamination risk like breezes)
Hand hygiene
Maintaining aseptic field (regular cleaning and waste control)
PPE

22
Q

What is done in the ambulance to ensure maintenance of aseptic field?

A

Daily cleaning of surfaces with detergent
Cleaning anything soiled
Protecting surfaces and equipment from patients
Cleaning after each case

23
Q

Why must body fluid spills be tended to as soon as possible?

A

They pose an infection risk AND a slip risk

24
Q

What is in a spill kit?

A

Scoop and scrape
PPE (glove, gown, eyewear)
Absorbent agents and material
Waste bag and tie
Detergent

25
Q

What care needs to be taken when using sodium hypochlorite?

A

It is corrosive from contact, ingestion and inhalation so good ventilation and PPE must be used

26
Q

What is a minor spill and how is it cleaned up?

A

Spot cleaning
PPE, wipe up, discard, hand hygiene

27
Q

What is a small spill and how is it cleaned up?

A

Less than 10cm diameter
PPE, wipe up with absorbent material, put into waste bag, discard, clean area with detergent, wipe with sodium hypochlorite and allow to dry, hand hygiene

28
Q

What is a large spill and how do you clean it up?

A

Greater than 10cm diameter
PPE, cover area with absorbent clumping agent, use scraper and pan to scoop up, put into waste bag, discard, mop area with detergent, wipe with sodium hypochlorite and allow to dry, hand hygiene

29
Q

What does waste management involve?

A

Segregating waste products at the time of generation
Using the correct receptacles
Diluting disinfectants down the sink

30
Q

What are the waste receptacle colours?

A

General - green/black
Clinical - yellow
Pharmaceutical - purple/blue

31
Q

What does the standard precaution ‘handling linen’ relate to?

A

Avoid dispersing microbes from linen into the environment or staff clothing by bagging it and sorting elsewhere
Using PPE especially if soiled
Leak proof bag if soiled
Using an appropriate grade washer/dryer
Correct storage of clean linen

32
Q

What is a critical category reusable item?

A

Item is at high risk of transferring infection because it is used within the tissue or vascular system
E.g. a surgical tool
Must be sterilised

33
Q

What is a semi-critical category reusable item?

A

Medium level risk of transferring infection as it comes into contact with membranes and broken skin
E.g. laryngoscope
Must be high-level disinfected

34
Q

What is a non-critical reusable item?

A

Low risk of transferring infection as it only contacts intact skin
E.g. BP cuff
Only needs low level disinfection

35
Q

What is ‘cleaning’ of reusable equipment?

A

Washing with soap, detergent and physical action to mechanically remove soiling
Must occur before disinfection/sterilisation
Must use correct chemical for equipment otherwise risk damage
Usually a neutral pH or mild alkali (may have enzymes added)
Rinse well to avoid patient allergy
Visually assess job under magnification

36
Q

What is ‘disinfection’?

A

Using chemical/heat to kill microbes
Must be cleaned first
May use alcohol, chlorine, formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide etc

37
Q

What is low level disinfection?

A

Kills most bacteria and medium-sized lipid viruses
DOES NOT kill spores, fungi, mycobacterium or non-lipid containing viruses

38
Q

What is intermediate level disinfection?

A

Kills all microbes except bacterial endospore

39
Q

What is high level disinfection?

A

Kills all pathogens
(May miss endospores if a high number present)

40
Q

What is sterilisation?

A

Destroys all forms of microbial life

41
Q

What does ‘storage and maintenance’ pertain to?

A

Correct storage of item to ensure sterility/effectiveness
Repair/discard damaged equipment
Check packet integrity
Maintenance program

42
Q

What is the donning sequence?

A

Hand hygiene
Gown
Mask
Eyes
Gloves

43
Q

What is the doffing sequence?

A

Gloves
Gown
Eyes
Mask
Hand hygiene

44
Q

What is the key PPE for contact precautions?

A

Gloves and gown

Mask and eyewear if body fluid exposure risk e.g. coughing

45
Q

What is the key PPE for droplet precautions?

A

Surgical mask

Gown and eyewear if body fluid exposure risk

46
Q

What is the key PPE for airborne precautions?

A

Respirator (N95 or P2)

Gown and eyewear if body fluid exposure risk e.g. patient coughing

47
Q

What are the 9 standard precautions?

A

Hand hygiene
PPE
Respiratory hygiene
Aseptic technique
Sharp safety
Reprocessing equipment
Environment cleaning
Waste management
Linen handling

Infection Prevention And Control (4 decks)

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