module 1 - compare and contrast medical and surgical asepsis Flashcards
Surgical Aspesis
procedure used to eliminate all microorganisms, including spores from an object or an area.An area is considered contaminated if touched by any object that is not sterile.
Chain of infection
Infectious Agent Reservoir Portal of exit Modes of transmission Portal of entry Susceptible host
Situations that require sterile/surgical asepsis
- during procedures that require the intentional perforation of the patient’s skin
- when the skin’s integrity is broken as a result of trauma, surgical incision or burns
- during procedures that involve the insertion of catheters or surgical instruments into sterile body cavities
Medical Aspepsis
clean technique, procedures used to decrease and prevent spread of mircoorganisms. Absence of most but not all microorganisms
if an infectious disease can be transmitted directly from one person to another is called what?
A communicable disease
a patient who has been admitted to the unit has been identified as being colonized by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Which measure should be taken to prevent the spread of MRSA to other patients on the unit?
Placing the patient in a single or a private room, and placing the patient on contact precautions.
A patient is isolated because he has pulmonary tuberculosis. The nurse notes that the patient seems angry but knows this is a normal response to isolation. What is the best intervention?
When a patient is in isolation, the nurse should take measures to improve the patient’s stimulation and make sure to explain the isolation procedures. Darkening the room can increase the sense of isolation. The nurse should not change the isolation level but should provide plenty of emotional support and prevent a sense of isolation by making time for the patient. As long as the family and caregivers follow infection precautions, it is not necessary to limit contact with these individuals.
When should the nurse wear a gown?
If blood or body fluids may get on the nurse’s clothing from a task the nurse plans to perform.
When the nurse is performing surgical hand hygiene, what is the appropriate position for the hands?
Above the elbows.
To remove a glove that is contaminated, what should the nurse do first?
Grasp the outside of the cuff or palm of the glove and pull it away from the hand without touching the wrist or fingers
What is the most effective method by which the nurse can break the chain of infection?
Wash hands between procedures and patients
Which of the following statements reflects the current trend in the directives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for minimizing the risks of infection?
Keeping the solution in drainage tubes draining away from the drainage site on the body reduces the risk for bacteria growth. Running any solution backward in the tubing puts the patient at risk by bringing any bacteria that may be present lower in the system back to the body; cross-contamination will occur. As in surgical areas, anything below the waist should be considered at potential risk for infection. Needles are not to be recapped or cut because of the increased risk for puncture wounds while this is done. Dressings do not need to be placed in red bags. Bottles of solution that are sitting in the patient’s room should be closed to prevent airborne contaminants from entering and creating an unsterile situation.
For which airborne disease would the nurse be required to use gloves, respiratory devices, and a gown when in close contact with an affected patient?
An N95 mask is required for both chickenpox and tuberculosis because in these diseases, small particles float in the air. A respiratory protection device is form-fitted to the face to prevent the escape of air around the seal. Mycobacterium tuberculosis must be in an airborne droplet nucleus to be spread; gloves and a gown are not required. However, for chickenpox, transmission is airborne via droplet and direct contact from vesicle fluid and respiratory secretions; therefore, gloves and a gown are also worn, in addition to an N95 mask, to prevent contamination and transport of infective particles to other patients. For viral pneumonia, a regular mask is used as a barrier because the particles do not float in the air and are more likely to be found on surfaces. Scabies is spread by contact, and gloves and a gown would be necessary; masks would not be needed.
The nurse is setting up a sterile field for the physician. Which of the following statements concerning a sterile field is correct?
A 2.5-cm area around the border should be considered to be the barrier between the sterile field and under the table
When transferring a sterile item to a sterile field, what should the nurse do?
Open the package by peeling back the cover without touching the inner package, and drop the item within the sterile field without touching the 2.5-cm border.
