Applied Assessment & Nursing Fundamentals 1: Health and Wellness Class 2 – Infection Prevention, Isolation, PPE, and Vital Signs

Vocabulary flashcards covering infection prevention and control concepts, isolation, PPE, and essential vital signs as presented in the lecture notes.

Colonization

Presence and growth of microorganisms within a host without tissue invasion or damage.

Infection

Invasion of a susceptible host by pathogens resulting in disease.

Infectious disease

A disease that is communicable and transmissible.

Direct contact transmission

Spread of infectious agents through direct physical contact with an infected person.

Airborne transmission

Spread of infectious agents through the air via droplets or aerosols.

Indirect contact transmission

Spread through contaminated surfaces or objects (fomites) or environment.

Transmission by food

Infection transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food.

Vector (insect) transmission

Spread of infection via insects or other vectors.

Rabid animal transmission

Transmission from exposure to a rabid animal.

Health care-associated infections (HAIs)

Infections associated with healthcare delivery in facilities, not present on admission.

Susceptible host

A person at risk of infection due to reduced ability to fight infection.

Infectious agent

Microorganism that can cause disease (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, etc.).

Reservoir

Where a germ lives and grows (humans, equipment, surfaces, water, soil, food).

Portal of entry

Route by which the germ enters a new host (eyes, mouth, wounds, catheters, etc.).

Mode of transmission

Means by which a germ spreads (contact, droplets, airborne, etc.).

Portal of exit

Route by which the germ leaves an infected person (coughing, vomiting, stool, secretions).

Immunizations

A method to prevent infection and break the chain of transmission.

Antimicrobial stewardship

Coordinated efforts to optimize antimicrobial use and reduce resistance.

Cleaning, disinfection, sterilization

Processes to reduce or eliminate pathogens and prevent transmission.

Hand hygiene

The single most important practice to reduce transmission of infectious agents.

Five Moments for Hand Hygiene

Before touching a patient; before clean/aseptic procedure; after body fluid exposure risk; after touching a patient; after touching patient surroundings.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Protective gear (gloves, gown, mask/respirator, goggles/face shield) used to prevent exposure to infectious agents.

Gloves

Protect hands during contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, mucous membranes, nonintact skin; remove if heavily contaminated.

Gown

Protects skin and clothing during procedures with potential contact with blood or body fluids.

Mask or respirator

Mask protects nose/mouth from secretions; respirator (e.g., N95) for airborne exposure; may be used with eye protection.

N95 respirator

A respirator that filters airborne particles; fit testing required annually.

Goggles or face shield

Eye protection against splashes or sprays of infectious materials.

Respiratory hygiene & cough etiquette

Measures to prevent respiratory infection transmission at entry and during care.

Isolation

Precautions to prevent spread of an infectious agent from an infected/colonized patient to others.

Contact precautions

Isolation for direct patient or environmental contact with contagious agents.

Droplet precautions

Isolation for transmission via droplets from the respiratory tract over short distances.

Airborne precautions

Isolation for airborne transmission requiring airborne precautions (e.g., TB, SARS).

Protective environment

Isolation for a limited patient population to protect the patient from infection.

Asepsis

Absence of pathogenic microorganisms.

Medical asepsis

'Clean' technique; procedures to reduce transmission of microorganisms after they leave the body.

Universal precautions

Treat all blood and certain bodily fluids as potentially infectious.

Standard precautions

Infection prevention measures for all patients; treat blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions (except sweat), nonintact skin, and mucous membranes as potentially infectious.

Standard Precautions – Key elements

Hand hygiene; PPE use; safe injection practices; equipment handling; respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette.

Temperature

Difference between heat produced and heat lost; body temperature reflects production minus loss.

Temperature measurement sites

Oral, axillary, rectal, tympanic (ear), and temporal sites.

Normal adult temperature ranges

36 to 38 C (96.8 to 100.4 F); oral ~37 C; rectal/tympanic ~37.5 C; axillary ~36.6 C (older adults ~35–36.1 C).

Pulse (heart rate)

Palpable pounding of blood flow in a peripheral artery; normal adult 60–100 bpm; tachycardia >100; bradycardia <60.

Apical pulse

Heart rate auscultated at the apex (5th intercostal space, midclavicular line).

Respiration

Mechanism of gas exchange; ventilation, diffusion, perfusion; normal adult 12–20 breaths/min.

Korotkoff sounds

Sounds heard during BP measurement; five phases (1–5) used to determine systolic and diastolic pressures.

Auscultatory gap

Gap between Korotkoff phases, usually Phase 1 and Phase 2; can cause BP reading errors.

Sphygmomanometer

BP cuff and gauge used to measure blood pressure.

Oxygen saturation (SpO2)

Percent of hemoglobin bound with oxygen in arteries; normal 93–100%; <90% is a clinical emergency.

Factors affecting SpO2 measurement

Motion, nail polish/artificial nails, hypothermia, hypotension, edema, vasoconstriction.

Documentation of vital signs

Record value, unit, and measurement site (e.g., T, P, RR, BP, SpO2) and interpretation.

Vital Signs

BP, temperature, pulse, respiration, SpO2, and pain used to assess patient status.