Infection Control and Prevention Quiz

Infection Control and Prevention

• Infectious vs. Communicable Diseases: All communicable diseases are infectious, but not all infectious diseases are communicable.

• Chain of Infection: The cycle involves a microorganism (bacteria, virus, etc.), a reservoir (human, animal, environment), a portal of exit, a mode of transport, a portal of entry, and a susceptible host.

Modes of Transmission

• Direct Contact: Spread through physical touch (e.g., pertussis, meningococcal).

• Indirect Contact: Spread through contaminated objects (fomites).

• Airborne: Spread through airborne droplets (e.g., measles).

• Vehicle-borne: Spread through contaminated substances (e.g., food, water).

• Vector-borne: Spread by insects or other animals (e.g., fleas, ticks, mosquitoes).

Host Resistance

• Immunity: The body's natural defense mechanism protects from disease, even with other risk factors present.

• Wellness and Immunization: Programs enhance the body's ability to fight off infections.

Prevention Strategies

• Government Health Departments: Responsible for strategies to prevent infectious diseases.

• Monitoring and Reporting: Tracking and reporting on cases.

• Contact Tracing: Identifying exposed individuals and following up.

• Immunization Clinics: Providing vaccinations.

• Public Health Guidelines: Policies like mask-wearing, restrictions on gatherings and travel, and isolation/quarantine requirements.

• Health Promotion: Educating the public.

Terms

• Incubation Period: Time from exposure to the development of symptoms. Varies by disease.

• Communicable Period: Time a person can spread the illness to others. May start before symptoms appear.

• Contamination: Presence of microorganisms on surfaces or objects (water, food, equipment).

• Infection: Harmful microorganism invasion of the body.

• Carriers: Infected individuals without symptoms who can spread the disease.

• Reservoir: Places where microorganisms live and multiply (humans, animals, environment). Ex: shower heads, air conditioning systems, respirators used by healthcare workers.

Routine Practices

• Universal Precautions: Infection control measures designed to protect workers from contamination.

• Blood-borne Pathogens: Infection control strategies for protecting against infection by blood, body fluids, and mucosal surfaces.

• Hand Hygiene: Washing with soap and water (preferred) or alcohol-based sanitizer (when soap and water are unavailable).

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Protective gear for healthcare workers (gloves, gowns, masks, shields).

Risk Assessment (Routine Practices)

• Pre-procedure assessment: Identifying potential risks of exposure and appropriate precautions.

• Task assessment: Identifying potential hazards and necessary measures.

• Competence/Experience: Consideration of the individual's capabilities and training.

• Patient cooperation: Importance of patient cooperation.

Standard Precautions

• Hand Hygiene: Crucial before and after any patient contact.

• Gloves: Wearing gloves when potential exposure to blood or body fluids is possible.

• Body Fluids: Treating blood, vomit, urine, and feces as potentially infectious.

• Gown: Wearing gowns for potential fluid/body fluid exposure.

• Goggles or Face Shield: Eye protection.

Precautions Based on Mode of Transmission

• Diseases: Diseases and recommended precautions based on their transmission method(s).

Droplet Precautions

• Protecting Staff and Patients: Measures to limit the spread of droplet-transmitted diseases.

• Hygiene Compliance: Importance of cleaning hands and covering the mouth/nose.

Contact Precautions

• Preventing Transmission: Measures to reduce spread of contagious diseases via direct or indirect contact.

• Staff and Patient Safety: Importance of proper hygiene and protective gear.

Airborne Precautions

• Preventing Transmission: Methods to minimize the spread of diseases spread through air.

• Protective Equipment: Use of respirator masks and other protections when handling these diseases.

Donning and Doffing PPE

• Sequential Steps: Precise procedures for putting on and removing protective equipment to avoid contamination.

• Sequential Steps for Donning PPE: Correct procedure for Donning PPE, including hand hygiene, gown, mask, eye protection and gloves.

Cleaning Between Patients

• Environmental Sanitization: Cleaning patient surfaces and environments to prevent transmission.

• Hygiene compliance Importance of following up with proper cleaning and sanitization.

Steps for Donning and Doffing PPE

• Donning Sequence: Proper sequence of clothing PPE.

• Doffing Sequence: Proper order for removing PPE.

Cardiovascular Management –Suspected/Confirmed COVID-19 Patients

• Special Considerations: Important considerations like PPE (especially respirators) when dealing with patients in cardiac arrest suspected/confirmed of COVID-19.
• Aerosolization/Particle Control: Minimizing droplet spread.
• Resuscitation Procedures: Specific instructions on ventilation, etc.

Test your knowledge on infection control and prevention strategies, focusing on the differences between infectious and communicable diseases. Explore the various modes of transmission and understand host resistance mechanisms including immunity and wellness programs.