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.