Infection Control, Medication Administration, Vital Signs, and Delegation Review

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering infection control, safe medication practices, pharmacokinetics, injection routes, vital sign standards, delegation rules, and continuity of care.

Infection Control

The practice of stopping microorganisms from spreading and causing infection.

Asepsis

All activities used to prevent infection or break the chain of infection.

Infectious Agent

The germ component in the chain of infection, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

Reservoir

The place where a germ lives, such as people, animals, soil, food, water, milk, and objects.

Portal of Exit

The path by which a germ leaves the infected source, including the respiratory, GI, or genitourinary tracts, breaks in skin, and blood/tissue.

Means of Transmission

The way a germ gets to another person, such as direct contact, indirect contact, vector, fomite, droplet, or airborne transmission.

Portal of Entry

The site or route through which an infectious organism enters a host.

Susceptible Host

A person whose body defenses are not strong enough to stop an invading organism.

Virulence

The ability of a microorganism to cause disease.

Direct Contact

Person-to-person physical contact that spreads microorganisms.

Indirect Contact

Transmission that occurs when an intermediary object or entity carries an organism from one person to another.

Vector

An insect or other living carrier that transmits an infectious agent.

Fomite

A contaminated non-living object or piece of equipment that spreads microorganisms.

Droplet Transmission

Spread of microorganisms via respiratory droplets traveling from an infected individual coughing, sneezing, or talking.

Airborne Transmission

Spread of microorganisms via tiny particles that remain suspended in the air and travel longer distances.

Incubation Period

The initial stage of infection when the organism is growing and multiplying, during which the person may not yet exhibit symptoms.

Prodromal Stage

The stage of infection when a person experiences vague or nonspecific symptoms and is most infectious.

Full Stage of Illness

The stage of infection marked by the presence of specific signs and symptoms of the disease.

Convalescent Period

The recovery stage of infection during which the person returns to health.

Universal Precautions (Standard Precautions)

Infection control practices used with all hospitalized patients regardless of diagnosis, involving hand hygiene and PPE when contacting blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions (except sweat), nonintact skin, or mucous membranes.

Isolation Precautions (Transmission-Based Precautions)

Infection control measures used in addition to standard precautions when a patient has or may have an infection spreading by contact, droplet, or airborne routes.

Medical Asepsis

A clean technique used to reduce the overall number and prevent the spread of pathogens.

Surgical Asepsis

A sterile technique used to keep an area completely free from all microorganisms.

Pharmacokinetics

The study of what the body does to a drug after it enters the body, encompassing absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).

Pharmacodynamics

The study of what a drug does to the body, describing how drugs act on target cells and alter cell functions.

Parenteral Medication Administration

The delivery of medications outside the intestinal tract, using routes such as intradermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intravenous injections.

Intradermal (ID) Route

An injection route using a $0.5\text{--}\text{inch}$, 26-27 gauge needle administered at a $10\text{--}15^\text{o}$ angle, delivering $0.01\text{--}0.1\text{ mL}$ of fluid.

Subcutaneous Route

An injection route using a $\frac{3}{8}\text{--}\frac{5}{8}\text{--}\text{inch}$, 25-27 gauge needle administered at a $45\text{--}90^\text{o}$ angle, delivering less than $1.5\text{ mL}$.

Intramuscular (IM) Route

An injection route using a $1\text{--}1.5\text{--}\text{inch}$, 18-27 gauge needle administered at a $90^\text{o}$ angle, delivering $1\text{--}3\text{ mL}$.

First Korotkoff Sound

The initial sound heard during blood pressure measurement, indicating the systolic pressure.

Hypoxemia

A pulse oximetry oxygen saturation measurement falling below $90\%$.

Acute Pain

Pain with rapid onset that varies in intensity and duration, acting as a protective mechanism that warns the body of harm.

Chronic Pain

Pain lasting beyond the normal healing period (more than $3\text{ months}$) that may be persistent or intermittent, with periods of remission and exacerbation.

Five Rights of Delegation

Core framework ensuring safe delegation: Right task, Right circumstance, Right person, Right direction/communication, and Right supervision/evaluation.

UAP (Unlicensed Assistive Personnel)

Healthcare workers who perform basic personal care and ADLs for stable patients without making clinical judgments or performing assessments.

LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)

Healthcare providers who care for stable patients with predictable outcomes by performing routine procedures, data collection, and basic medication tasks, but who cannot perform initial assessments or administer blood products.

RN (Registered Nurse)

Healthcare provider responsible for clinical assessment, judgment, care planning, initial patient education, evaluation, and caring for unstable patients.

Continuity of Care

Provision of appropriate, uninterrupted healthcare that assists patients in smoothly transitioning between care settings or provider levels.

ISBARQ

A structured communication model for patient handoffs standing for Identification, Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation, and Questions.