Week 4: Infection Control Flashcards
What is a virus’s goal?
Replicate
What is an infection?
It is the invasion by pathogenic organisms that reproduce inside the body
What is colonisation?
It is the sustained presence of replicating infectious agents that do not cause an infection or an disease
What does HAI stand for?
Healthcare associated infection
What are healthcare-associated infections also called?
Nosocomial infection
what does iatrogenic mean?
Something that is caused by the health care institution
What are the parts of the part of infection?
Infectious agent, reservoir, the portal of exit, means of transmission, the portal of entry and a susceptible host
What is the portal of exit?
It is how the infectious agent leaves the body (Cough out of mouth)
What are the means of transmission?
It is how the infectious agent travels e.g breathing in a cough
What is the portal of entry?
It is how the infectious agent enters the person such as a cut in skin or eating contaminated food
What is a susceptible host?
Some who has a lowered immune response or an infectious agent you haven’t come into contact with before
What is a reservoir of infection?
It is somewhere the infectious agent can live which is outside the person such as equipment, clothing, linen, pens
What are standard precautions?
It is the minimum infection prevention and control practises that MUST be used at all times for all patients
What are some examples of standard precautions?
Hand hygiene, PPE, safe use and disposal of sharps, environmental cleaning, cough etiquette, aseptic technique,
What is the order of donning?
Hand hygiene, gown, mask, eyewear, hand hygiene, gloves
What is the order of doffing?
Gloves, apron, hands, eyewear, hands, mask, hands
What is a key site?
It is the area in the patient where there is the possibility for an infection to enter or where the medical procedure is happening
What is a key part?
equipment at risk of infectious agent
What is sequencing?
It is the order in which you do things to maintain aseptic technique and infection control
When are contact precautions used??
When there is a risk of transmission by direct or indirect contact
When are droplet precautions used?
When there is a risk of transmission by respiratory droplets
When are airborne precautions used?
When there is a risk of transmission by infectious agents by the airborne route
What is the difference between airborne and droplet precautions?
Airborne travels in the air and can travel very far whereas droplet is caught in closer contact and breathe in the droplets
What is antimicrobial resistance?
It is where people are resistant to antibiotics
How do we stop bugs?
PPE, hand washing, standard precautions, medications, break the change of infection
What is the difference between bacteria and viral infections?
bacteria are free-living cells that can live inside or outside a body, while viruses are a non-living collection of molecules that need a host to survive
What are the signs of infection?
Fever, redness, swelling, pain and loss of function
Why do we get warm when we have a bacterial infection?
Because bacterial infections reproduce slowly at a higher temperature
What is affected when people get too hot?
The brain
What is pus?
It is dead white blood cells that the body has used to fight infection
How do we confirm a viral infection?
RAT test (Rapid antigen testing), Spetum sample, urine sample,
What is an antigen?
It is the thing in the virus that causes the body to procedures antibodies
What does PCR stand for?
Polymerase chain reaction
What is an infection?
Growth of a pathological organ inside the body
What does SIRS stand for?
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
What is Systemic inflammatory response syndrome?
Inflammation in the whole body
What is sepsis?
It is an infection and SIRS combined
What is severe sepsis?
Sepsis with organ dysfunction
What is septic shock?
Ongoing sepsis that does not respond to fluid or vasodilators
What is the criteria for SIRS?
Body temperature over 38 or under 36 degrees Celsius. Heart rate greater than 90 beats/minute. Respiratory rate greater than 20 breaths/minute or partial pressure of CO2 less than 32 mmHg
What factors affect how well antibiotics work?
How promptly they are administered, if the course is completed, taking them at the right times,
