What is the difference between Aseptic and Sterile?
Aseptic: “Clean” technique in which microorganisms are reduced, not completely eliminated
- medical asepsis: Wiping down equipment
Sterile technique: involves the complete eradication of all microorganisms
- ex. sterilizing tools
What is a Chain of infection?
- the circuit that, (without interruption) produces an infection.
- Breaking even 1 link interrupts that process.
What is the difference between a microorganism and a pathogen?
Microorganisms: very small particles (ie. bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites)
Pathogen: A microorganism that causes disease.
- pathogen IS a a microorganism
- BUT a microorganism is only a pathogen if it causes disease
What is a Healthcare acquired infection (HAI)?
- an infection the client acquired while in the hospital. A.K.A -nosocomial infections.
What are the 4 moments of hand hygiene?
- Before entering the room
- Before aseptic procedures
- After exposure/potential exposure to body fluids (this includes after glove removal)
- On exiting the room
What are Contact Precautions?
WHAT:
- Includes direct contact between humans, and indirect contact which involves transmission from contact with contaminated surfaces/objects.
NURSING WEAR:
- gown and gloves to protect their hands and uniforms against contact with pathogens.
What are Droplet Precautions?
WHAT:
- Droplets: large particles that are released when an ill person is talking, coughing, sneezing, etc.
- Droplets are expelled, but only remain suspended for a short time before falling.
NURSES WEAR:
- procedure masks and eyewear that filters out large particles when providing client care.
- Sometimes droplet and contact precautions are combined, such as with influenza infection, so nurses would wear the procedure mask as well as the gown and gloves.
What are Airborne Precautions?
WHAT
- least common of the 3,
- airborne: involving very small particles suspended in the air (ie. tuberculosis)
NURSES WEAR
- only N95-type respirator mask capable of filtering out the tiny particles.
- no gowns and gloves
- Clients with airborne illnesses require a negative pressure room to prevent the pathogens from being distributed through the air vents.
What is the Chain of Infection?
- Infectious organism
- Reservoir
- Ex. A client with pneumonia is coughing up mucous, the mucous in the lungs represents the reservoir
- The organism is able to grow and multiply in the mucous in the lungs because mucous offers the right conditions.
- Portal of exit
- Mode of transmission
- Portal of entry
- Susceptible host
What is the Hand Washing Using WHO Technique?
Step 0: wet hands with water
Step 1: Apply enough soap to cover all hand surface
Step 2: Rub hands palm to palm
Step 3: Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice verse
Step 4: Palm to palm with fingers interlaced
Step 5: Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked
Step 6: Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right hand and vice versa
Step 7: Rotational rubbing backwards ad forwards with clasped fingers of right of right hand in left palm and vice versa
Step 8: Rinse hands with water
Step 9: Dry hands with single use towel
Step 10: Use towel to turn off faucet
Which is better: soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub?
Soap and water - more effective for visibly soiled hands (Hands on which dirt or body fluids are readily visible)
Alcohol - more effective for hands not visibly soiled
Contact Precautions
- put on a gown and gloves before entering the room
** must use new clean gown and gloves (can not be used more than once)**
To don: Hand hygiene, gown tied behind neck and back, then clean gloves
- do not take off the gown and gloves until you leave
To doff:
1. Remove gloves
2. hand hygiene
3. remove gown
4. hand hygiene.
- Most gowns are single-use disposable ones, but if they are not, wrap securely in a ball and place in the laundry.
Droplet Precautions
- Droplet precautions alone require only a surgical/ procedure mask and protective eyewear.
To don:
1. Hand hygiene
2. put the mask
3. put eyewear/goggles on
To dof:
1. Hand hygiene
2. remove the goggles
3. remove mask (goggles first as they sit on the bridge of the nose over the mask).
4. hand hygiene
Airborne Precautions
- Airborne precautions require only a (N95) mask, not a procedure mask (as with droplet precautions)
- Applying these depends on the style. The package provides instructions for donning and doffing this type of mask.
Droplet & Contact Precautions
- EX. Influenza - it is a droplet particle but can also land on surfaces and survive for a short time.
- If your client is infected with an organism spread by droplet/contact, you wear all the PPE and you follow the order.
To don:
1. Hand hygiene
2. Gown
3. Surgical mask
4. Eyewear
5. Gloves
To doff:
1. Gloves
2. Hand hygiene
3. Gown
4. Hand hygiene
5. Eyewear
6. Mask
7. Hand hygiene
What is the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection in the healthcare setting is:
Hand washing
What interferes with the ability to perform hand hygiene?
- Long sleeves
- Nail polish
- Artificial long nails
- Jewelry
How are most HAIs in hospitals spread?
On the hands of healthcare workers
3 Most Common Modes of Transmission for pathogens are:
1) Contact
2) Droplet
3) Airborne
4) Contact/droplet combined is common
5 risk factors that make someone a susceptible host
- Compromised Immune System
- Chronic Illness
- Hospitalized
- Very young age
- Very old age
Which age group(s) is/are most susceptible to infection? Why?
Old People
- immune system is weakened
Young People
- immune system is not fully developed
What is the purpose of documentation?
1) To communicate
- so everyone involved in the care of the patient knows what is going on
2) To be accountable
- to keep track of WHO is providing care, and WHAT has been done
3) To maintain legal records
- in case any event becomes legal matter
4) To support research
- sometimes documentation can be part of a research study
5) To uphold standards
- it may help support improvements in certain processes around the unit
Date and Time for Documentation
Date
- INTERNATIONAL STANDARD yyyy/mm/dd
Always check with your employing institution
Time
- use the 24 hour clock
- no am/pm
- no : (colon) between the numbers
- include the ‘0’ with morning times (0815)
- write 4 numbers only, at all times.
Rules of Documentation
- always SIGN it
- must include designation
- my designation looks like this: A, Schiavone, WFN-1 (collaborative)
