Fundamentals: Final Exam - Infection Control & Isolation

who is at higher risk for infection?

- very young & very old

- compromised immune system

- invasive procedures

what are some examples of clients with compromised immune systems?

- HIV/AIDS

- cancers

- transplants

- medications

- indwelling devices

what are some examples of indwelling devices?

- urinary catheters

- central line IV

- pacemakers

- artificial joints

- endotracheal tubes

true or false: clients that have surgery have an increased susceptibility to infections due to compromise of skin integrity

true

what are factors that increase the client's risk of infection?

- invasive medical devices

- proximity to other clients

- age

- length of hospital stay

- # of invasive procedures

- treatment plan

- chronic diseases

what are the cardinal signs of inflammation?

- pain

- heat

- erythema

- swelling

- loss of function

what are the stages of infection?

- incubation: no S&S

- prodromal: S&S manifest

- acute illness: more specific S&S

- decline: declination of symptoms

- convalescence: return to baseline

what are the signs of localized infection?

- heat

- pain

- loss of function

- edema

- erythema

- purulent exudate

- fever (not always)

what are signs of systemic infection?

- fever

- increased HR

- increased RR

- decreased BP

- change in mental status

- malaise

what is medical asepsis?

- clean technique

- reduces the presence of disease causing microorganisms

true or false: medical asepsis is preventing the transfer of microorganisms

true

what are interventions of medical asepsis?

isolation precautions & disinfection of surfaces/equipment

what is surgical asepsis?

- sterile technique

- procedures used to eliminate all microorganisms, including pathogens & spores from an object or area

what are interventions for surgical asepsis?

maintaining sterile technique & maintain a sterile field

true or false: procedures associated with surgical asepsis are inserting urinary catheters & tracheal suctioning

true

what are the principles of surgical asepsis?

1) a sterile object remains sterile only when touched by another sterile object

2) only sterile objects may be placed on a sterile field

3) a sterile object or field out of the range of vision or an object help below a persons waist is contaminated

4) a sterile object or sterile field becomes contaminated by prolonged exposure to air

5) the edges (1 in border) of a sterile field are considered contaminated

what are standard precautions?

used to protect self from unknown body fluids, client is not known to be contagious

what are transmission based precautions?

when the client has a bug that can be transmitted to the health care workers OR vice versa

what would you don for contact isolation?

gown, gloves

what would you don for droplet isolation?

surgical mask face shield (if splash risk)

what would you don for airborne isolation?

N95

what is protective precautions?

preventing transmission to immunocompromised patients (chemotherapy)

what would the nurse don for protective isolation?

- gown

- gloves

- surgical mask

true or false: c. diff is a contact isolation

true

what is a health care associated infection (HAI)?

result of germs entering your body during medical care

who is at risk for health care associated infections?

- blood stream infections

- catheter or tube placed in vein