Nursing Skills: Infection Control and Hand Hygiene

Nursing Skills and Concepts: Promoting Healthy Physiological Responses

• Focus on providing physical safety, preventing infections, and maintaining hygiene in nursing practice.

Quality and Safety Initiatives (QSEN)

• Emphasizes competencies to improve quality and safety in nursing education and practice.

Asepsis and Infection Control

• Infectious Agents: Organisms causing disease, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
• Hosts & Portals of Entry: Individuals susceptible to infections and the routes through which pathogens enter.
• Stages of Infection: Includes the incubation period, prodromal stage, illness stage, and convalescence, each with distinct symptoms.
• Susceptibility: Factors affecting an individual's vulnerability to infections, like age, immunity, and health status.

Hand Hygiene

• Essential practice for preventing the spread of infection.
• Water and Alcohol-based Cleansers: Effective in reducing microbial load. Alcohol-based is preferred when hands are not visibly soiled.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Includes gowns, gloves, masks, and eyewear to protect healthcare workers and patients.

Regulatory Agencies

• OSHA: Ensures safe and healthy working conditions.
• CDC: Provides guidelines for infection control and disease prevention.

Medical vs. Surgical Asepsis

• Medical Asepsis: Reduces the number of organisms and prevents the spread of infection.
• Surgical Asepsis: Guarantees an area is free from all microorganisms, critical for sterile procedures.

Hospital-Acquired Infections (Nosocomial Infections)

• Infections acquired during hospital stay, typically due to invasive procedures, antibiotic overuse, or inadequate sanitation practices.

Hygiene and Skin Care

• Components of Personal Hygiene: Includes bathing, oral care, grooming, and skin care for hospitalized patients.
• Factors Affecting Hygiene: May include physical limitations, psychological conditions, and cultural beliefs.

Patient Assessment

• Assess patient needs prior to providing hygiene care, focusing on comfort, mobility, and preferences.

Oral Care

• Involves procedures for maintaining oral hygiene, preventing infections, and promoting comfort.

Hair Care

• Regular washing and grooming to maintain hygiene and comfort for patients.

Bathing

• Types: Includes bed bath (assisted by staff), full bath, and partial assistance (patient performs some tasks independently).

Eye and Ear Care

• Importance of maintaining hygiene of eyes and ears to prevent infections and discomfort.

Shaving

• Conducted with care to prevent nicks or cuts, especially for patients at risk of bleeding.

Perineal Care

• Essential for preventing infections and maintaining comfort, especially for immobile or post-surgical patients.

Foot and Fingernail Care

• Regular monitoring and care essential for individuals with limited mobility or diabetes to prevent complications.

Antiembolism Stockings

• Used to promote circulation and prevent thrombus formation in at-risk patients.