Infection Control and Routine Practices

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes covering routine infection control practices, hand hygiene indications, PPE types, chain of infection elements, and contact transmission modes.

Routine practices

Infection prevention measures applied with every patient, including hand hygiene, risk-based PPE, source control, safe sharps, environmental cleaning, covering coughs/wounds/drainage, and communicating risks to receiving facility.

Hand hygiene indications

Key moments for hand hygiene including before and after patient contact, after body-fluid exposure risks, after glove removal, and after contact with patient environment.

Mask

Personal protective equipment used for droplet protection and eye protection.

Gown

Personal protective equipment used when there are risks of splash, spray, or extensive contamination.

Respirator (N95)

Personal protective equipment used for airborne/aerosol contamination risks.

Gloves

Personal protective equipment used when in contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces.

Eye protection

Personal protective equipment used for protection against splash, spray, or coughing close to face.

Chain of infection

The sequence of events allowing infection spread, consisting of infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host.

Infectious agent

A disease-causing organism, such as bacteria, fungi, virus, or parasite.

Reservoir

Where an infectious agent lives and multiplies, such as people, water, or animals.

Portal of exit

How an infectious agent leaves the reservoir.

Mode of transmission

How an infectious agent spreads from the reservoir.

Portal of entry

The route through which an infectious agent enters a host.

Susceptible host

An individual vulnerable to infection.

Direct contact

Infection transmission occurring person to person.

Indirect contact

Infection transmission occurring via a contaminated surface or equipment.