Week 1 Infection Control Flashcards
What are the 5 moment of hand hygiene?
- Before touching a patient
- Before a procedure
- After a procedure or body fluid risk
- After touching patient After touching a patient’s surroundings
What solutions can you use for hand hygeine?
Alcohol hand rub
Soap and water
What is the natural defense against microbes?
Intact skin, if cuts and abrasions occur can be a potential source of infection
What is PPE?
Barriers used for protection against infectious agents
- Gowns
- Mask
- Eyewear Gloves
When and why do we wear gowns?
Close contact with patients/materials/equipment that could lead to contamination of skin or clothes.
When and why do we wear masks?
To protect mucous membranes of nose and mouth. When potential for splashing, spattering or spraying of blood or body substances
When and why do we wear eyewear?
Protects against penetrating injury, aerosols, splatter/ spray of blood and bloody substances
When and why do we wear gloves?
Hand hygiene before and after Changes gloves between patients, if damaged Before touching computer
What is infection control
Aims to prevent the transmission of infectious agents between patients, between dental staff and patients, to dental staff
What does AHPRA stand for
Australian Healthcare Practitioners Registration Agency Dental practitioners need to ensure that the risk of the spread of infectious diseases is minimized or prevented, thereby enhancing public health and safety
What is our duty of care?
All dental care team members must be compliant with workplace protocols
How are infections transmitted?
- Source of infectious agent Pt, health care worker
- Mode of transport (contact, droplet, airborne)
- Susceptible host
What are the modes of transmission?
- Contact - direct or indirect
- Droplet Airborne - occurs though coughing etc, droplets contact susceptible mucousal surfaces eg, eyes, nose mouth
- Airborne - aerosols created from breathing, talking - remains suspended in air
What are standard precautions?
Approaches that apply to all patients of their infectious status and include:
- Hand hygiene
- PPE
- Safe disposal of sharps
- Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette