Module 10: Infection Control Flashcards
OSHA
- occupational safety and health administration
- oversees and regulates worker safety
when did the CDC introduce universal precautions
- 1980s
- response to HIV and HBV cases growing
standard precautions
- combines universal precautions and body substance isolation
- requires barriers for all body substances except sweat
chain of infection
- infectious agent
- reservoir
- portal of exit
- mode of transmission
- portal of entry
- susceptible host
what is a reservoir
- conducive to pathogen survival
- can be the pt or inanimate object
direct transmission
- contact with infected person or body fluid carrying a pathogen
indirect transmission
- intermediate step between portal of exit and portal of entry
- fomites or vectors
asepsis
being free from infection or infectious material
ways to stop spread of infectious agents
- clean office daily
- make sick and contagious pts wait in a different area than well-check pts
- do not allow eating or drinking in pt areas
- hang reminders on hand hygiene and other prevention methods
medical asepsis
- used daily in every clinical setting
- removing microorganisms after they leave the body
- does not eliminate possibility of all pathogen presence
what is the goal of medical asepsis
- reduce number of microorganisms after they leave the body
- prohibit their growth
- protect healthcare worker more than pt
examples of medical asepsis
- hand washing
- using gloves when in contact with body fluids
- proper cleaning of supplies and work area
surgical asepsis
- removal of all microorganisms
- must be used during invasive procedures when pt skin or mucous membranes are penetrated
what is the goal of surgical asepsis
- eliminate microorganisms from entering body
- protects pt more than healthcare worker
examples of surgical asepsis
- sterile gloves
- antiseptic skin preparation
when should you perform hand hygiene
- before and after pt contact
- after contact with contaminated surfaces
- after contact with blood or body fluids
- before performing an aseptic procedure (blood draw, medication administration)
- before and after contact with supplies or equipment near pts
- after contact with contaminated body site
- after glove removal
temp of water for hand washing
warm
how long should you rub hands together with soap during hand washing
20 seconds
minimum alcohol content in hand sanitizer you can use
60%
how long should you rub in hand sanitizer
until solution has dried
what hand hygiene task should you do if you have visible debris on your hands
hand washing
sanitization
- first step in assuring equipment is clean
- reduces number of microbes
- removing debris with soap and water
- wear gloves during this
ultrasonic sanitization
- delicate instruments
- sound waves loosen debris
- reduces risk of sharps exposure
disinfection
- destroying pathogens on a surface
- doesn’t destroy all spores
- submissions in chemicals
common disinfectants
- glutaraldehyde: requires long submersion time
- 1:10 bleach solution
can chemical disinfectants be used on pts
- no
sterilization
- destroying pathogens and their spores on inanimate objects
- dry heat, chemicals, ultraviolet radiation, ionizing radiation, steam under pressure
- necessary for surgical asepsis
autoclave
- sterilizes equipment
- high-pressure saturated steam
which piece of equipment has specific techniques to sterilize
- endoscopes
- normal sterilization will damage the endoscope
steps for cleaning endoscopes
- pre-cleaning: wiping with wet cloth and soaking in cleaning solution
- leak testing: air/pressure/water determines if damage has occurred
- manual cleaning: manually remove debris with cleaning solution
- rinse: with clear water
- high-level disinfection: disinfectant for immersion and flushing of endoscope pieces
- rinse: no residual chemical disinfectant remains
- drying: rinse with alcohol and dry with forced air
how should you store a clean endoscope
- vertically
- in clean, dry, dust-free environment
SDSs
- safety data sheets
- documents containing necessary info regarding chemicals in work environment
sharps container
- puncture-proof and leak-proof
- labeled with biohazard symbol
- disposal of needles, scalpels, other sharp medical instruments
biohazard bag
- leak-proof
- made of impermeable polyethylene or polypropylene material
- labeled with biohazard symbol
- for gloves, gauze, bandages, other items without sharp edges
when should you dispose of a sharps container
when it is 2/3 full
when should you use PPE
when there is potential exposure to blood or body fluids
info on safety data sheet
- identification
- hazard identification
- composition/ingredients
- first-aid measures
- fire-fighting measures
- accidental release measures
- handling and storage
- exposure controls/personal protection
- physical and chemical properties
- stability and reactivity
- toxicological information
