Lecture9 Flashcards
What are healthcare infections?
Infections arising as a consequence of healthcare (onset in hospital/healthcare- at least 48 hours after admission)
-visitors/patients/employees can acquire it
Why are healthcare infections important?
-frequent & greatly impact on health/healthcare environments (after operation, if an infection is acquired- longer stay in hospital)
Are healthcare infections preventable?
Yes, easily preventable
Where can you intervene with infection?
- prevent pathogen becoming an infection
- prevent pathogen being transmitted to someone else
Name some healthcare infection pathogens:
Viruses (norovirus, flu, chicken pox, blood bourne hep C/B, HIV)
Bacteria (staph aureus, E. coli, C.difficile, TB)
Fungus- in immunosuppressed patients (candida albicans, aspergillosis species)
Parasites (malaria)
What are risk factors for patients to getting healthcare diseases?
- extremes of ages
- obesity
- malnourished
- diabetes
- cancer
- immunosuppression
- smoker
- surgical patient
- emergency admission
What are the 4 P’s of infection prevention and control?
Patient (other patients, visitors, healthcare workers)
Pathogen (virulence factors)
Practice (how much money hospitals have/government leadership)
Place (healthcare environment)
