Medical Asepsis LAB 1

Asepsis

practice that minimize or eliminate organisms
that can cause infection and disease

2 Types of Aspesis

Medical- clean
Surgical- sterile

3 purposes to medical Asepsis

1. Decrease # of microorganisms
2. Decrease the likelihood of spreading
3. Protect ourselves and our clients

4 ways microorganisms spread

-Air Currents
-Direct Touch
-Gravity
-Droplets (talk, cough, etc.)

Speed of microorganism spread

Quicker through wet materials
Slower through dry materials

Chain of infection (6 parts)

Infectious Agent (bacteria, virus, etc.)
Source Host
Portal of Exit
Method of transmission
Portal of entry
New Host

T/F Breaking one part of the infection cycle stops infection.

True! you only have to break one link

direct contact transmission

requires close proximity between infected and susceptible host (touching)

indirect contact transmission

refers to situations in which a susceptible person is infected by contact with a contaminated surface
(cough>hands>table>New host touch> touch face)

vector/fomite transmission

objects, animals, and insects carrying particles to infect new host

droplet transmission

transmission via airborne droplets
more than 5 microns in size

airborne transmission

The spread of an organism via droplets or dust
less than 5 microns in size

What is a prion?

a microbe that can eat away at the brain

methods to "break the chain" of infection

Immunization, hand hygiene, cover nose and mouth, elimination of vector, sterilization, PPE, regular screening

What is sputum?

thick mucus secretions in the lungs

What is emesis?

vomiting

What are nosocomial infections? (HAI)

A disease that the pt acquired from the hospital
Hospital Acquired Infection

How common are HAI's in hospitals?

1/25 pt end up with a nosocomial infection

T/F nosocomial infections are easy to treat by simple antibiotics

False, many nosocomial infections are antibiotic resistant

Common nosocomial infection sites

surgical sites infections (SSI)
Ventilator associated pneumonia(VAP)
Catheter associated UTI (CAUTI)
Central line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)

Treatment acquired infections

Iatrogenic Infections: ie, c-diff, thrush
antibiotics wipe out healthy bacteria

3 resistant microorganisms

-MRSA (Methacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
-VISA, VRSA and VRE (vancomycin resistant
organisms)
-CRE (Carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriacea)

9 Risk factors for patients obtaining an infection

Environmental Exposure
Tissue destruction
Invasive procedure
Malnutrition
Effects of pharmacological agents
Age (newborn & elderly - decrease immune system)
Stress
Heredity (genetic susceptibility)
Existing disease

What is the number 1 practice to reducing the spread of microorganisms

Handwashing

What is the most effective component to hand washing

Friction

When should you wash your hands

- When hands are visibly soiled
- Spore forming organisms (e.g. C-difficile and Norovirus)
- before and after touching a high risk client

What should you use hand sanitizer?

If hands are not visibly soiled
routinely decontaminating

When to use Non-Sterile (Clean) Gloves

damaged skin, mucous membranes, when dealing with bodily fluids

Guidelines for medical asepsis

Use proper gloves, gowns, and masks, wear eyewear, keep nails short, and avoid excess jewelry

T/F you must follow ALL standard precautions when dealing with any patients regardless of their condition or not

True

When should you perform hand hygiene

Upon arrival, before eating, after using the restroom, before and after caring for any client, before and after putting on gloves, upon exiting, touching any body substance,