Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following components is part of the body's innate immune system?
Which of the following components is part of the body's innate immune system?
What is the primary characteristic of adaptive immunity?
What is the primary characteristic of adaptive immunity?
Which factor is NOT associated with an increased risk of developing an infection?
Which factor is NOT associated with an increased risk of developing an infection?
Identify the phase of infection characterized by severe and specific symptoms.
Identify the phase of infection characterized by severe and specific symptoms.
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Which of the following describes localized infections?
Which of the following describes localized infections?
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What type of infection is characterized by a rapid onset and short duration?
What type of infection is characterized by a rapid onset and short duration?
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Which link in the chain of infection refers to the organism causing the disease?
Which link in the chain of infection refers to the organism causing the disease?
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Which nursing intervention is aimed specifically at preventing the spread of infection?
Which nursing intervention is aimed specifically at preventing the spread of infection?
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What distinguishes standard precautions from transmission-based precautions?
What distinguishes standard precautions from transmission-based precautions?
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In which infection stage would early, mild symptoms typically occur?
In which infection stage would early, mild symptoms typically occur?
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What should be used for contact precautions when interacting with a patient?
What should be used for contact precautions when interacting with a patient?
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Which of the following prevents transmission through droplets?
Which of the following prevents transmission through droplets?
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What is the major distinction between medical asepsis and surgical asepsis?
What is the major distinction between medical asepsis and surgical asepsis?
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Which personal protective equipment should be used for airborne precautions?
Which personal protective equipment should be used for airborne precautions?
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Which of the following indicates that sterility has been compromised?
Which of the following indicates that sterility has been compromised?
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What is one way to practice medical asepsis?
What is one way to practice medical asepsis?
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Which of the following is an example of an emerging infectious disease?
Which of the following is an example of an emerging infectious disease?
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What role do nurses have in combating emerging infectious diseases?
What role do nurses have in combating emerging infectious diseases?
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What should be done if the sterilization date has expired?
What should be done if the sterilization date has expired?
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What equipment is required for droplet precautions in a healthcare setting?
What equipment is required for droplet precautions in a healthcare setting?
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Study Notes
Body's Natural Defenses Against Infection
- Physical and Chemical Barriers: Skin, mucous membranes, stomach acid prevent pathogen entry.
- Innate Immune System: Phagocytes (engulf pathogens), natural killer cells (destroy infected cells), and inflammation (localized response) act as immediate, nonspecific defenses.
- Adaptive Immune System: B cells (humoral immunity, antibody production) and T cells (cell-mediated immunity, direct cell attack) provide specific, targeted defenses with immunological memory.
Factors Increasing Infection Risk
- Compromised immune system (e.g., chronic diseases, HIV)
- Poor hygiene
- Age (very young or elderly)
- Hospitalizations and surgical procedures
Stages of Infection
- Incubation: Period between pathogen entry and symptom onset.
- Prodromal: Early, mild symptoms.
- Illness: Severe, characteristic symptoms.
- Decline: Symptoms lessen as immune response gains strength.
- Convalescence: Recovery phase.
Localized vs. Systemic Infections
- Localized: Redness, swelling, warmth, pain, pus, confined to a specific area.
- Systemic: Fever, chills, fatigue, body aches; involve the whole body.
Infection Classifications
- Acute: Rapid onset, short duration.
- Chronic: Slow progression, long duration.
- Latent: Dormant phase with potential for reactivation.
Chain of Infection
- Infectious Agent: Pathogen causing disease.
- Reservoir: Where the pathogen lives (e.g., human, animal, environment).
- Portal of Exit: Pathway pathogen leaves the reservoir (e.g., respiratory tract, skin).
- Mode of Transmission: How the pathogen spreads (e.g., contact, airborne).
- Portal of Entry: Pathway pathogen enters a new host (e.g., respiratory tract, mucous membranes).
- Susceptible Host: Individual more vulnerable to infection.
Nursing Interventions to Prevent Infection Spread
- Hand hygiene
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Sterilization and disinfection
- Isolation procedures
- Patient education
Standard Precautions
- Hand hygiene
- Use of PPE (gloves, gowns, masks, goggles)
- Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette
- Safe injection practices
Transmission-Based Precautions
- Contact Precautions: Gown and gloves for contact with patient or environment.
- Droplet Precautions: Mask for close contact.
- Airborne Precautions: N95 respirator, negative pressure room.
Medical vs. Surgical Asepsis
- Medical Asepsis (Clean Technique): Reduces the number of pathogens, maintaining a clean environment.
- Surgical Asepsis (Sterile Technique): Eliminates all pathogens, crucial for invasive procedures.
- Sterility Compromisation: Broken or wet packaging, expired dates, contaminated equipment.
Emerging Pathogens and Infectious Diseases
- Emerging infectious diseases (e.g., COVID-19, Ebola, Zika, antibiotic-resistant bacteria.)
- Nurse roles: Surveillance, patient education, infection control adherence and vaccination promotion.
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Description
Explore the body's defenses against infections, including physical and chemical barriers, the innate and adaptive immune systems, and factors that increase infection risk. This quiz covers the stages of infection from incubation to convalescence. Test your knowledge and understand how our immune system protects us.
