Infection Control - Egan CH 4 PDF

Egan CH 4 Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved. Infection Control Introduction About 4% of patients admitted develop a hospital-acquired infection (HAI) Infections can be categorized by where they originate Those that develop outside the hospital a...

Egan CH 4 Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved. Infection Control Introduction About 4% of patients admitted develop a hospital-acquired infection (HAI) Infections can be categorized by where they originate Those that develop outside the hospital are called community onset Those that develop in the hospital are called hospital onset or nosocomial pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of infection in the hospital Patients can receive care in many different settings The home, the hospital, a skilled nursing facility, or an outpatient treatment center Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All Rights 2 Reserved. Infection Control (Cont.) Infection control procedures aim to: Eliminate the sources of infectious agents Create barriers to their transmission Monitor the effectiveness of control All health care workers must take responsibility and follow procedures carefully Infection prevention is an ongoing responsibility of all respiratory therapists We must be diligent and sometimes need to educate families when they come to visit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All Rights 3 Reserved. Spread of Infection Three elements must be present for infection to spread: Source of pathogens Susceptible host Route of transmission Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All Rights 4 Reserved. Spread of Infection (Cont.) Sources of infectious agents: Humans are primary source Inanimate objects (also called fomites) (e.g., contaminated medical equipment) can spread infection Individuals in hospital capable of being source include: Workers Visitors Patients Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All Rights 5 Reserved. Spread of Infection (Cont.) Susceptible hosts – depends on each person Resistance to infection varies greatly from one person to next Host factors increasing chance of infection are: Poorly controlled diabetes Increased age HIV infection Chemotherapy Placement of tubes and catheters (ETT, trachs) Especially prolonged intubation Autoimmune diseases Medications that weaken the immune system Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All Rights 6 Reserved. Spread of Infection (Cont.) Most nosocomial pneumonias occur in patients having chest or abdominal surgery Patients with history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cigarette smoking, or obesity and those with advanced age have greatest risk for nosocomial pneumonia following major surgery Patients with artificial airways or who are immunocompromised are at higher risk of acquiring nosocomial infections The biofilm that is created on the ETT is a potential issue Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All Rights 7 Reserved. Modes of Transmission The three major routes for transmission of human pathogens in the health care environment are: Contact (direct and indirect) Direct: from one patient to the next Indirect: inanimate object (like a pen) Respiratory droplets RT’s are exposed because we should always assess the patient’s cough, perform bronchoscopies, suction, talking, sneezing. Can be spread within 3 feet of infected person Airborne droplet nuclei (respirable particles