Infection Control and Clinical Emergencies

Standard Precautions of Infection Control

- Focuses on isolating blood and body fluids from hands and mucous membranes of healthcare providers

- Required use of PPE

- No eating or drinking in patient care areas

- Change gloves between instances of contact with dirty and clean sites on same patients

- Wash your damn hands

What infections agents can be spread from Contact or Contact plus isolation types?

MRSA, VRE, C-diff, Lice, Scabies

What infectious agents can be spread from droplet isolation types?

Influenza, whooping cough, Mumps, COVID-19

What infectious agents can be spread from airborne isolation type:

TB, measles, chickenpox, SARS, COVID-19

What infectious agents can be spread from neutropenia isolation type?

neutropenia (low neutrophils in blood (abundant WBC))

What PPE is needed for contact precautions such as MRSA?

Gown, and gloves

What PPE is needed for droplet precautions such as COVID-19 or influenza?

Gown, gloves, surgical mask/ face shield

What PPE is needed for airborne precautions such as COVID-19 or TB?

Fit tested N-95

What PPE is needed for neutropenic precautions (Genetically inherited blood condition)?

Gloves, gown, mask/respirator

General Steps of Donning (assuming full equipment)

- Wash hands,

- Put on Gown

- Put on Mask

- Put on goggles or face shield

- Put on gloves

General Steps of Doffing

- Remove gloves

- Remove goggles or face shield

- Remove gown

- Remove mask

- Wash hands

(Order of steps may change depending on facility)

Ways to minimize risk of clinical emergencies

- Maintain safe environment

- have qualified personell

- Ensure equipment is safe and functioning

- Be familiar with equipment

- Keep clean space

- Be careful working with patients

- Follow proper procedures

- Look for signs and symptoms which indicate physical distress and possible need for further care

- Know contraindications and precautions

Objective evidence of disease or distress

Signs - such as profuse bleeding, compound fracture, sweating, or shortness of breath

Subjective evidence of disease or distress

Symptoms - what the patient is perceiving such as pain

When do we stop PT and check on the patient?

- Observed change in patients signs/symptoms

- Observed abnormal response to intervention or a physiological change without intervention