Medical & Surgical Asepsis

Question 1

What is Handwashing?

Answer 1

Hand washing is the cleansing of hands to reduce the number of microorganism on the hands that
lead to infection.

Question 2

enterobacteria

Answer 2

Some microorganisms found in the intestines produce substance called: bacteriocins, which are lethal to related strains of
bacteria.

Question 3

Some microorganisms are normal resident flora
(the collective vegetation in a given area) in one part of the body, yet
produce infection in another

Answer 3

For example, Escherichia coli, commonly referred to as E. coli, is a normal inhabitant of the large intestine but a common cause of infection of the urinary tract.

Question 4

infection

Answer 4

is the growth of microorganisms (infectious agent) in body tissue
where they are not usually found

Question 5

If the microorganism produces no clinical evidence
of disease, the infection is called

Answer 5

asymptomatic/subclinical

Question 6

disease

Answer 6

A detectable alteration in normal tissue function

Question 7

virulence

Answer 7

ability to
produce disease

Question 8

communicable disease

Answer 8

infectious agent can be transmitted to an individual by direct or
indirect contact or as an airborne infection

Question 9

pathogenicity

Answer 9

ability to produce disease

Question 10

opportunistic pathogen

Answer 10

causes disease only in a susceptible individual

Question 11

World Health Org. (WHO)

Answer 11

major regulatory agency at the international level

Question 12

Asepsis

Answer 12

is the freedom from disease-causing microorganisms

Question 13

2 types of asepsis:

Answer 13

medical & surgical

Question 14

Medical asepsis

Answer 14

includes all practices intended to confine a specific microorganism to a specific area,
limiting the number, growth, and transmission of microorganisms.

Question 15

In medical asepsis objects are referred to as:

Answer 15

Clean (which means the absence of almost all microorganisms)
Dirty (soiled, contaminated)
which means likely to have microorganisms, some of which
may be capable of causing infection.

Question 16

Surgical asepsis, or sterile technique

Answer 16

refers to those practices that keep an area or object free of all microorganisms; it includes practices that destroy all microorganisms and spores (microscopic
dormant structures formed by some pathogens that are very hardy and
often survive common cleaning techniques).

Surgical asepsis is used for all procedures involving the sterile areas of the body

Question 17

Sepsis

Answer 17

is the condition in which acute organ dysfunction occurs secondary to infection.

Question 18

4 major categories of microorganisms:

Answer 18

Bacteria, Viruses (consist of primary nucleic acid), Fungi (yeasts & molds), Parasites (e.g protozoa. live in other organisms)

Question 19

Colonization

Answer 19

is the process by which strains of microorganisms
become resident flora

Question 20

Infections can be local or systemic

Answer 20

A local infection is limited to the specific part of the body where the microorganisms remain.
If the microorganisms spread and damage different parts of the body, the infection is a systemic infection

Question 21

bacteremia

Answer 21

When a culture of the person’s blood reveals microorganisms

Question 22

septicemia

Answer 22

When bacteremia results in systemic infection

Question 23

acute and chronic infections.

Answer 23

Acute infections generally appear suddenly or last a short time.
A chronic infection may occur slowly, over a very long period, and may last months or years.

Question 24

Nosocomial infections

Answer 24

are classified as infections that originate in
the hospital. Nosocomial infections can either develop during a client’s stay in a facility or manifest after discharge. Nosocomial microorganisms may also be acquired by personnel working in the facility
and can cause significant illness and time lost from work. Nosocomial infections are a subgroup of health care–associated infections (HAIs)—those that originate in any health care setting.

Question 25

microorganisms
that cause nosocomial infections can

Answer 25

originate from the clients themselves (an endogenous source) or from the hospital environment
and hospital personnel (exogenous sources).

Question 26

Iatrogenic infections

Answer 26

are the direct result of diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. One example of an iatrogenic infection is bacteremia that results from an intravascular infusion line. Not all
nosocomial infections are iatrogenic, nor are all nosocomial infections preventable

Question 27

Chain of infection (6 links)

Answer 27

1. the etiologic agent, or microorganism
   2.the place where the organism naturally resides (reservoir)
   3.a portal of exit from the reservoir
   4.a method (mode) of transmission
   5.a portal of entry into a host
   6.susceptibility of the host.

Question 28

method of transmission

Answer 28

1. Direct
   2 Indirect (vechicle-borne & vector-borne)
   3 Airborne

Question 29

defenses that protect body from infections

Answer 29

Nonspecific defenses protect the person against all microorganisms, regardless
of prior exposure. Specific (immune) defenses, by contrast, are
directed against identifiable bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other infectious agents.

Question 30

Inflammation

Answer 30

is a local and nonspecific defensive response of the tissues to an injurious or infectious agent
characterized by five signs: (1) pain, (2) swelling, (3) redness, (4) heat, and
(5) impaired function of the part, if the injury is severe

Question 31

three stages of the inflammatory response:

Answer 31

First stage: vascular and cellular responses
Second stage: exudate production
Third stage: reparative phase.

Question 32

antigen

Answer 32

is a substance that induces a state of sensitivity or immune responsiveness (immunity)

Question 33

Sterilization

Answer 33

is a process that destroys all microorganisms, including spores and viruses.
Four commonly used methods of sterilization are
moist heat, gas, boiling water, and radiation.

Question 34

Isolation

Answer 34

refers to measures designed to prevent the spread of infections or potentially infectious microorganisms to health personnel, clients, and visitors.

Question 35

Standard precautions are used in the care of all hospitalized individuals regardless of their diagnosis or possible infection status

Answer 35

SP include
(a) hand hygiene; (b) use of personal protective equipment
(PPE), which includes gloves, gowns, eyewear, and masks; (c) safe
injection practices; (d) safe handling of potentially contaminated
equipment or surfaces in the client environment; and (e) respiratory
hygiene/cough etiquette.

Question 36

Personal Protective Equipment

Answer 36

(clean or sterile gloves, gowns, masks, and protective eyewear) according to the risk of exposure to potentially infective materials.

Question 37

Sterile techniques

Answer 37

An object is sterile only when it is free of all microorganisms.