Safety and Infection Control Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to safety and infection control in healthcare settings, including standard precautions, transmission-based precautions, restraint use, hazardous materials handling, and emergency response.

Standard Precautions

Perform hand hygiene, use PPE if you expect to be exposed to bodily fluids, disinfect client equipment, and follow safe injection practices (1 needle, 1 syringe, 1 time).

Contact Precautions

Precautions used for Superbugs (MRSA, VRE), Conjunctivitis, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Enteric infections (C. diff, Noroviruses, Rotavirus), Wound Infections, and Skin infections.

Droplet Precautions

Wear a mask, practice hand hygiene, place a surgical mask on the client during transport, and use a private room or cohort with the same infections; used for Influenza, Pertussis, Mumps, Rhinovirus, Adenovirus, Rubella, Bacterial meningitis, Haemophilus influenzae type B, Epiglottitis, and Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Airborne Precautions

Use a fit-tested N-95 respirator, place a surgical mask on the client during transport, use a private, negative pressure room with the door closed, and wear a gown and gloves if potential contact with bodily fluids; used for Tuberculosis, Rubeola virus (Measles), Varicella virus (Chickenpox), SARS, Smallpox, and Disseminated varicella-zoster virus (VZV).

Non-Violent Restraints

HCP must see client within 24 hours, RN assessment every 1-2 hours, restraint order expires in 24 hours.

Violent Restraints

HCP must see client within 1 hour, RN assessment every 15 minutes, restraint order expires in 4 hours for adults, 2 hours for 9-17 y.o., and 1 hour for <9 y.o.

Medical Waste (Non-hazardous)

Includes paper, leftover food, used utensils, and tissues; no special requirements for disposal, use regular trash can.

Infectious Waste

Medical waste that is or COULD be infectious. Includes Used sharps, bodily fluids, swabs and Wound dressings; dispose per facility protocol (Sharps container)

Hazardous Waste

Waste that is potentially dangerous to staff; Not necessarily infectious. Clean sharps, Hazardous medications; Chemotherapy, ‘Blue bin drugs’. Dispose per facility protocol (Blue bin)

Radioactive Waste

Anything involved with radiation; Medications,Implants, Tubing, Syringes, Bodily fluids, Towels and PPE used while caring for the client. Certified team members dispose of waste; Special containers

Client Identification

Use TWO client identifiers; Name, Date of birth (DOB), Medical Record Number (MRN) and Do NOT use the room number… Clients can change rooms!

RACE (Fire)

R - Rescue, A - Activate, C - Contain, E - Extinguish

PASS (Fire Extinguisher)

P - Pull pin, A - Aim, S - Squeeze, S - Sweep