Asepsis PDF

1 Asepsis Nosocomial infections. Chain of infection. Body defenses against infection. Factors increasing susceptibility to infection. Aseptic practices. Infection control for health care workers. Role of infection control nurse. 2 Meaning of Asepsis Freedom of diseases-causing mi...

1 Asepsis Nosocomial infections. Chain of infection. Body defenses against infection. Factors increasing susceptibility to infection. Aseptic practices. Infection control for health care workers. Role of infection control nurse. 2 Meaning of Asepsis Freedom of diseases-causing microorganisms. It aims at decreasing spread of microorganisms from one place to another. Two basic types - Medical asepsis - Surgical asepsis - Sepsis: a state of infection that can take many forms, including septic shock. - Asepsis: absence of bacteria, viruses, & other microorganisms. 3 Medical Asepsis Includes all practices intended to confine/ limit a specific microorganism to a specific area. Limits the number, growth, & transmission of microorganisms. Objects referred to as clean or dirty (soiled, contaminated)  4 Surgical Asepsis Sterile technique. Practices that keep an area or object free of all microorganisms. Practices that destroy all microorganisms & spores. Used for all procedures involving sterile areas of the body. 5 6  7 Infection An invasion of body tissue by microorganism (infectious agents) & their proliferation/ multiplying there. Virulence: the ability of a microorganism to cause disease. (poisonous or toxic) Microorganisms vary in their degree of virulence. Opposite of Virulence: harmless. innocuous. nonpoisonous  8 Types of infection Local infection: limited to a specific part of body where the microorganism remain. Systematic infection: occur when microorganism spread & damage different parts of body. Bacteraemia: Presence of bacteria in blood. Septicaemia: when bacteria in blood causes a systematic infection.  9 Types of infection Chronic infection: occur slowly over a long period & may last months or years. Acute infection: appears suddenly or last a short time. 10 Nosocomial infections Or called hospital or facility acquired Infections that are associated with delivery of health care. May develop during hospital stay. OR, may manifest after discharge. 11  12 Factors contribute to Nosocomial infections Iatrogenic infection: results from diagnostic or therapeutic procedures (e.g. infected I.V line). Compromised host: natural immunity is lowered by a treatment or a disease. Not all nosocomial infections are iatrogenic & not all of them are preventable. 13 Chain of infection 14 Body defence against infection Nonspecific defences: protect a person from different parts of microorganisms. Specific(immune) defences: direct against identifiable infectious agents. 15 Nonspecific defences Anatomic & physiologic barriers: skin, mucosa, macrophages, pH of some tracts e.g. vagina. Inflammatory response: An adaptive mechanism that destroys or dilutes that injurious agent, prevent further spread of injury and promotes repair of tissue. 16 Specific defences Antibody-mediated defences (humoral or circulating immunity): they are called so because they reside ultimately in the B lymphocytes & mediated by B cells Cell-mediated defences: occur through the T cell system. 17 18 Types of immunity Active immunity: the host produces antibodies in response to natural antigens e.g. infectious microorganisms or artificial antigens e.g. vaccines Passive (acquired) immunity: the body receives natural e.g. from mother milk or artificial e.g. from an injection with an immune serum. 19  Factors increasing susceptibility to infection 20 Age: new borns & older adults have reduces defences. Hereditary: some have a deficient in a type of serum immunoglobulins. Nature, number of physical & emotional stressors may decrease immunity. Some medical therapies e.g. radiation, chemotherapy Any disease that lessens body’s defences e.g. DM, AIDS 21 Aseptic practices Hand washing. Isolation precautions. Isolation practices. Put on & removing a facemask, gown, disposable gloves. 22 Major 3 modes of transmission of infectious material 1- Puncture wounds e.g. needles, sharps 2- Skin contact that allows transmission through broken skin. 3- Mucus membrane contact, allows infectious fluids to enter through mucous membranes or eyes, mouth & nose. 23 Infection control for health care workers Using proper precaution with general medical asepsis. Using personal protective equipment: gloves, masks, gowns, safety glasses, shoe cover. Take proper vaccination e.g. hepatitis vaccine. 24 Role of the infection control nurse All hospitals must have infection control committee. An important member is infection control nurse Infections control nurse is specially trained to be knowledgeable about the latest research & practice in preventing, detecting, & treating infection. All infections in hospital must be reported to this nurse.