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NHA > Module 3C: Infection Control and Saftey > Flashcards

Module 3C: Infection Control and Saftey Flashcards

1
Q

Purpose of infection control

A

To minimize and remove a variety of disease-causing micro-organisms from the health care environment.

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2
Q

Micro-organisms

A

An organism that can only been seen through a microscope, including bacteria, protozoa, algae, and fungi.

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3
Q

Pathogenic

A

Causes disease.

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4
Q

Medical asepsis

A

Clean technique that includes frequent hand hygiene, proper use of gloves, cleaning and sterilizing medical equipment, and sanitizing surfaces.

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5
Q

Communicable diseases

A

An illness that is spread from one person to another or from an animal to a person or from a surface or food.

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6
Q

Transmission

A

Can occur in various ways but mainly from direct contact with the pathogen.

For the transmission of a disease to occur, there must be a pathogen or infectious agent present.

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7
Q

Varicella (chicken pox)

A

Direct or indirect contact from infected droplets or airborne secretions

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8
Q

Viral meningitis

A

Direct contact, respiratory secretions, and oral-fecal route

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9
Q

Bacterial meningitis

A

Direct contact and infected droplets from respiratory tract

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10
Q

Conjunctivitis (pinkeye)

A

Direct or indirect contact with eye discharge or discharge from upper respiratory tract of infected patient

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11
Q

Rhinovirus (common cold)

A

Direct or indirect contact from airborne or respiratory secretion droplets

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12
Q

Strep throat

A

Direct contact with infected individual, respiratory secretions

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13
Q

Pertussis (whooping cough)

A

Direct contact with respiratory secretion droplets

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14
Q

Influenza (flu)

A

Direct contact with respiratory secretion droplets

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15
Q

Pathogens

A

Disease causing micro-organisms:
- viruses
- bacteria
- fungi
- parasites: can be further classified as protozoa, helminths, ectoparasite, and rickettsia.

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16
Q

Nonpathogens

A

Harmless and do not cause disease.

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17
Q

Normal flora

A

Micro-organisms that live on or within the body without causing disease.

Responsible for many important functions, such as synthesizing and excreting vitamins as well as preventing colonization of pathogens.

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18
Q

Virus Examples

A

Rhinovirus (common cold)
Varicella (chicken pox)
HIV/AIDS
Hepatitis​​​​​​​
Coronavirus

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19
Q

Bacteria Examples

A

E. coli (urinary tract infections)
Vibrio cholerae (cholera)​​​​​​​
Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough)

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20
Q

Fungi Examples

A

Histoplasmosis (lung infection passed on by certain bird/bat droppings)
Tinea pedis (athlete’s foot)​​​​​​​
Candida albicans (yeast infection)

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21
Q

Parasite Examples

A

Toxoplasmosis
Pinworm
Tapeworm
Scabies
Lice​​​​​​​
Lyme disease

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22
Q

Chain of Infection

A

For the transmission of a pathogen to occur, the following links in the cycle of infection must be connected.

  1. Infectious agent
  2. Reservoir/source
  3. Portal of exit
  4. Mode of transmission
  5. Portal of entry to host​​​​​​​
  6. Susceptible host

If this chain is interrupted, it can break the infection process, thus preventing the continuation of the cycle and halting infection.

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23
Q

Sign vs Symptom

A

Sign is a manifestation that can be perceived (ex: fever, swollen lymph nodes, tachycardia)

Symptom is a manifestation of something that is only apparent or felt by patient (ex: chills, pain and aching, nausea)

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24
Q

Signs of Infectious Diseases

A

Fever
Swollen lymph nodes
Tachycardia
Septicemia
Chest sounds
Skin eruptions ​​​​​​​
Leukopenia

25
Q

Symptoms of Infectious Diseases

A

Chills
Pain and aching
Nausea
Fatigue/malaise
Headache
Sore throat​​​​​​​
Chest tightness

26
Q

Direct transmission

A

Takes place when there is contact with an infected person or body fluid that is carrying the pathogen

27
Q

Indirect transmission

A

Occurs when there is an intermediate step between the portal of exit and portal of entry

Ex: Contact with a mosquito, pencil, or contaminated table

28
Q

Portals of entry to host

A

Pathogens often enter a host via an open wound or through the mouth, nose, eye, intestines, urinary tract, or reproductive system.

29
Q

Factors that make a host susceptible

A

Several variables make the human body—especially of a compromised patient—the ideal susceptible host.

Factors such as overall health, age, and the condition of a person’s immune system affect the chances of them becoming a host for a disease transmission.

30
Q

Universal precautions

A

Precautions that apply when it is possible that one might come into contact with:

  • Blood products (human)
  • Human tissue
  • Body fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid, and pleural fluid
  • Any body fluid visibly contaminated with blood
  • Vaginal secretions and semen

Regardless of the patients’ infection status.

Ex: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis B virus.

31
Q

Standard Precautions

A

Minimum infection prevention practices that apply to all patient care, regardless of known infection status.

32
Q

General Standard Precautions

A

General guidelines:
- Wash hands before and after every procedure.
- Use gloves with encountering patient blood/body fluids, handling anything contaminated with blood, performing venipuncture, handling blood specimens, and cleaning up body fluids or blood.
- Cover any scratches or breaks in the skin.
Refrain from eating, drinking, or chewing gum while working.
- Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) if blood or body fluid splatter could occur.
- Clean all spills immediately with appropriate cleaning supplies.
- Dispose of sharps immediately.
- Place sharps or broken glass in a puncture-proof container.
- Dispose of all biohazard waste in appropriate biohazard container.

33
Q

3 categories for job tasks and the potential for exposure to blood borne pathogens

A

Category I: Tasks that have a chance of body fluids or blood spilling or splashing, or tasks that can cause exposure to blood or body fluids such as a minor surgical procedure

Category II: Tasks that do not usually involve chance of exposure, such as CPR; precautions must still be taken

Category III: Tasks that do not require any PPE, such as taking a patient’s vital signs

34
Q

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

A

Gear worn when there is a chance of coming in contact with blood or body fluids. In the health care setting, this includes gloves, gowns/aprons, shoe covers, lab coats, masks and respirators, protective eyewear, and face shields.

35
Q

Biohazard waste

A

Materials that present a potential or actual risk to the health of humans, animals, or the environment.

36
Q

Needle Safety and Prevention Act

A

Signed into law in November 2000, which requires the institution of safety measures in workplaces where there is an occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infections materials.

  • Health care professionals must implement the use of devices that help reduce the risk of needlestick injuries such as needle safety devices.
  • Facilities must also maintain a detailed logbook of any needlestick or sharps injuries from dirty or contaminated sharps.
  • Health care facilities must also implement work practice controls to help reduce the risk of injury at work by altering the way a task is performed.
37
Q

Return to work guidelines

A

If a health care professional has a fever or feels sick, refrain from contact with patients to reduce the risk of spread.

Stay home and only return to work if the MA has been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of any fever-reducing medications.

38
Q

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

A

Agency that creates regulations that employers must follow for employees to remain safe while working.

39
Q

Transmission-based precautions

A

contact, droplet, and airborne precautions

40
Q

Contact precautions

A

Transmission through direct and indirect touching

  • using proper PPE such as gloves and gown, washing hands before and after working with the patient, and disinfecting the exam room are all precautions that should be taken.
41
Q

Droplet precautions

A

Transmission by contact of secretions and usually occurs when an infected person coughs or sneezes

  • get the patient to an exam room as quickly as possible, have the patient put on a face mask, and have the health care professional use appropriate PPE such as mask and gloves.
42
Q

Airborne precautions

A

Transmission by infectious agents floating in the air, which can expose anyone around the patient

  • allow the patient to enter the facility by a different route, place the patient in an isolation room, have the patient place a face mask on, and have the health care working use appropriate PPE such as mask, gloves, and gown.
43
Q

Types of Bloodborne Pathogen Exposures

A

Needlesticks; cuts; or blood or bodily fluid coming into contact with the eyes, nose, mouth, or other non-intact skin

44
Q

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

A

Established to reduce the risk of occupational exposure to infectious disease

  • Requires employers to have a written exposure control plan to protect their employees who have the potential for exposure based on their job duties and responsibilities.
45
Q

CDC’s employers exposure control plan

A

Employers are required to update their exposure control plan annually to align with changes that help reduce the potential for exposure.

The following must be detailed in the employer’s exposure control plan.
- engineering controls
- workplace controls
- PPE (Employers must provide personal protective equipment to employees)
- Hepatitis B Vaccinations
- Post-Exposure Follow-Up
- Labels and Signs to Communicate Hazards
- Information and Training to Employees
- Documented Employee Medical Training Records

46
Q

Engineering Controls

A

Devices used to isolate or remove the blood-borne pathogen hazard from the workplace.

47
Q

Workplace Controls

A

Practices in the workplace that reduce the chances of exposure by changing or mandating the way a task is performed.

48
Q

Hepatitis B Vaccinations

A

Employers must provide hepatitis B vaccinations to all employees with a risk of exposure within 10 days of employment

49
Q

Post-Exposure Follow-Up

A

Employers must follow up with any professional who had an exposure incident at no cost to the employee. All employee diagnoses must remain confidential.

50
Q

Labels and Signs to Communicate Hazards

A

Labels are required to be on all regulated waste and storage containers containing potentially infectious materials.

51
Q

Information and Training to Employees

A

Employers must provide regular training that covers the dangers of blood-borne pathogens

52
Q

Documented Employee Medical Training Records

A

Medical training and records must be maintained for each employee

53
Q

Don

A

put on

54
Q

Doff

A

remove

55
Q

Donning nonsterile gloves

A
  1. Perform handwash.
  2. Select appropriate size of nonsterile gloves.
  3. Place hand through opening and pull glove up to wrist.
  4. Repeat on other hand.
  5. Adjust gloves as necessary.
56
Q

Doffing nonsterile, contaminated gloves

A
  1. Grasp palm of glove of nondominant hand with dominant hand.
  2. Pull glove off the nondominant hand in a downward motion while turning the glove inside out. 3. Hold in dominant hand.
  3. Roll the glove up into the dominant hand.
  4. Place two fingers of the ungloved hand under the cuff of the other gloved, dominant hand, making sure not to touch the outside of the glove.
  5. Pull the glove over the hand, turning it inside out over the other glove.
  6. Throw away the gloves in the appropriate container.
  7. Wash hands.
57
Q

What PPE is the most widely used in a health care setting?

A

gloves

58
Q
A

NHA (17 decks)

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