Medical Asepsis Quiz

Asepsis and Infection Control

• Asepsis is freedom from disease-causing microorganisms.
• Two basic types of asepsis are medical and surgical asepsis.

Medical Asepsis

• Reduces the number of pathogens.
• Referred to as "clean technique".
• Used in administering medications, enemas, and feeding tubes.
• Also used for daily hygiene, particularly hand hygiene (considered most important).

Surgical Asepsis

• Eliminates all pathogens.
• Referred to as "sterile technique".
• Used in dressing changes, catheterizations, and surgical procedures.

Medical Asepsis or Clean Technique

• Procedures reduce the number of microorganisms and prevent spread.
• Includes handwashing, standard precautions, and transmission-based precautions.

Surgical Asepsis or Sterile Technique

• Procedures eliminate microorganisms from an area.
• Sterilization destroys all microorganisms, including spores and viruses.

Cleaning

• Cleanliness inhibits the growth of microorganisms.
• Involves the removal of soil, organic material, and other foreign substances from objects.
• Usually involves water and mechanical action combined with detergent or soap.

Disinfection

• Process to eliminate pathogenic organisms from inanimate objects, excluding spores.

Disinfectant

• Chemical substance used for disinfecting inanimate objects.
• Examples include phenol and chlorine.

Antiseptic Solution

• Substance used on skin to inhibit the growth and activity of microorganisms without necessarily destroying them.
• Examples include Betadine and hydrogen peroxide.

Sterilizing

• Process that destroys all microorganisms, including spores and viruses.

Contamination

• Process of rendering something unclean or unsterile.

Infection

• Invasion of the body by pathogens, or microorganisms capable of causing disease.

Nosocomial Infection

• Infections associated with the delivery of healthcare services within a healthcare facility.
• Develop during a patient's stay in a facility or occur after discharge.

Carriers

• People or animals that show no symptoms of illness but carry pathogens that can be transferred to others.

Types of Microorganisms Causing Infection

• Four main categories: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
• Bacteria are most common.

Types of Infection

• Local: Infection limited to specific body parts.
• Systemic: Infection spreads and damages different parts of the body.
• Acute: Appear suddenly and last a short time.
• Chronic: Develop slowly, last a long time, possibly months or years.

Infection Process

• Chain of infection includes six interacting links:
• Infectious Agent
• Reservoir
• Portal of Exit
• Mode of Transmission
• Portal of Entry
• Susceptible Host

Introduction

• Chain of infection only occurs when all links in the chain are intact.
• Breaking the chain stops the spread of infection.

How Germs Get Around/Mode of Transmission

• Contact (hands, toys, sand)
• Droplets (when speaking, sneezing, or coughing)

How Germs Get Out/Portal of Exit

• Mouth (saliva, vomit)
• Cuts in skin (blood)
• During diapering and toileting (stool)

Links in the chain of Infection and how to break:

• Infectious Agent: Pathogens causing diseases, including Bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites.
• Reservoir: A host that allows the pathogen to live, grow, and multiply. Examples include humans, animals, standing water, or people with common colds.

Portal of exit:

• Route by which infectious microorganisms escape the reservoir.
• Examples include respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and skin.

Portal of Entry

• Route by which pathogens enter the host.

Pathogens enter the body by:

• Inhalation (respiratory tract)
• Ingestion (GI tract)
• Absorption (mucous membranes of eyes)
• Break in skin (e.g., needlestick, cut)
• Introduction by medical procedures (e.g., catheters)

Susceptible Host:

• Person who is next exposed to the pathogen.
• Microorganism may not cause infection if the person's immune system fights it off.
• Affected individual may become a "carrier" and potentially transfer infection to others.

Susceptible Host Examples

• Children, very young
• People, very old
• People, inadequate diets
• People, chronically ill
• People, receiving medical therapy, for example chemotherapy or high doses of steroids
• People, already ill
• People, with open wounds

Stages of Infection

• Incubation period: Interval between pathogen invasion and appearance of first symptoms. Examples: Chicken pox (2-3 weeks), common cold (1-2 days), tetanus (2-21 days).
• Prodromal stage: Pathogens invade tissues, nonspecific signs/symptoms (malaise, low-grade fever, fatigue) appear, leading to more specific symptoms. Highest risk of spreading infection to others.
• Full stage of illness/Invasion stage: Typical signs and symptoms reach peak intensity.
• Decline phase: Host defenses take hold, symptoms decrease.
• Convalescent stage: Represents recovery from infection; recovery period can take several days to months.

Defenses against infection

• Body uses normal flora (bacteria residing inside and outside the body) to protect itself from pathogens.
• Every organ system has mechanisms to minimize exposure to infectious microorganisms.

First Lines of Defence

• Saliva: contains antibacterial enzymes
• Skin: prevents entry
• Tears: contain antibacterial enzymes
• Stomach acid: low pH kills harmful microbes
• Mucus linings: traps dirt and microbes
• Gut bacteria: compete with harmful bacteria

The Blood

• Increases the number of white blood cells (neutrophils and monocytes) to engulf and destroy invading microorganisms.
• The increase happens quickly, largely due to release from bone marrow.

White Blood Cells

• Components of the immune system.
• Types include neutrophils, basophils, monocytes, T cells, B cells, and eosinophils.
• These cells play different crucial roles in immune response.

Assessment

• During assessment phase, the nurse collects client history, conducts physical assessment, and gathers laboratory data.

Physical Assessment

• Signs and symptoms differ depending on the body area involved.
• Examples include swelling, pain, redness, heat at infection site, loss of function, fever, malaise, anorexia, and enlarged lymph nodes.

Laboratory data

• Evaluate leukocyte count (4,500 to 11,000/ml is normal).
• Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
• Urine, blood, sputum, or other drainage cultures for pathogenic microorganisms.

Standard Precautions: Body Substance Isolation System (BSIS)

• Instructions on how to utilize protective equipment for safety and prevention.
• REwear masks: use, care, maintenance, and disposal instructions are included.
• One-time use masks must be disposed of properly.

Hand hygiene:

• Critically important for minimizing infection risk.

Personal Protective Measures

• Gloves, gowns, plastic aprons, masks, and protective eye wear are examples of PPEs, which nurses should use to prevent self-contamination and to prevent spread of infection .

Needle Stick Prevention

• Avoiding percutaneous injury is crucial in reducing the risk of bloodborne infections.
• Used needles are to be placed immediately into puncture-resistant containers.

Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette:

• Important strategies to control and reduce spread of infection from respiratory droplets.
• These guidelines include coughing/sneezing into tissue/elbow, disposal of tissue immediately, and improved hand hygiene.

Health care facilities should:

• Isolate patients with fever and respiratory symptoms to prevent spread.
• Educate individuals about respiratory hygiene measures.
• Make hand hygiene resources available.

Miscellaneous Guidelines

• Place used sharps in disposal containers.
• Do not recap needles.
• Contain and dispose of contaminated wastes properly, such as bio-waste containers,
• Clean up any blood/body fluid spills according to protocol
• Properly containing soiled linen
• For patients with diarrhea, suggest improved hand hygiene using soap and water.
• For individuals with coughs wear a mask at a close proximity and educate about respiratory hygiene.
• For patients with contagious diseases, recommend private rooms for isolation.

Test your knowledge on medical asepsis and infection control with this quiz. It covers topics such as types of infections, methods of cleaning, and the chain of infection. Perfect for nursing students and healthcare professionals.