Healthcare Hand Hygiene and PPE Essentials

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing core principles of hand hygiene, glove use, personal protective equipment (PPE), and infection control procedures from the lecture transcript.

Hand Hygiene for Visibly Soiled Hands

The practice of washing hands at a sink with antimicrobial or nonmicrobial soap and water when hands are visibly dirty, contaminated, or soiled.

Hand Hygiene for Hands Not Visibly Soiled

The decontamination of hands using an alcohol-based hand rub when hands are not visibly dirty or soiled.

Nonintact Skin

Skin that is broken, weep, or torn, such as skin tears commonly found on elderly individuals with fragile skin.

CDC Fingernail Length Recommendation

The guideline stating that healthcare workers' fingernails should be no longer than $1/4\,\text{inch}$ to prevent bacteria accumulation.

Acrylic and Soap Nails

Artificial fingernails that harbor bacteria and are prohibited from being worn in healthcare settings.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee for protection against infectious material.

Gloves

Personal protective equipment worn to protect hands when touching blood, bodily fluids, secretions, excretions, mucous membranes, or nonintact skin.

Gowns and Aprons

Personal protective equipment worn to protect skin and clothing from splashing or contact with bodily fluids.

Masks and Respirators

Personal protective equipment worn to cover the mouth and nose to prevent fluid penetration and airborne or droplet exposure.

Goggles

Personal protective equipment designed to provide a protective barrier specifically for the eyes.

Face Shields

Personal protective equipment that provides complete coverage for the face, mouth, nose, and eyes.

N95 Fit Testing

A procedure conducted in a chamber using a sweet-tasting substance to ensure an N95 mask provides an adequate seal before a worker enters a patient room.

Clean vs. Sterile Gloves

Standard boxed gloves are clean and disposable for routine tasks, whereas sterile gloves are specialized for sterile procedures such as PICC line placements or surgery.

Working Clean to Dirty

The practice of performing care procedures starting at the cleanest area of the patient's body (such as the face) and progressing to the dirtiest area (such as the peri area).

Don

A medical term meaning to put on personal protective equipment, performed before entering a resident's room or having contact with a patient.

Doff

A medical term meaning to take off personal protective equipment.

Donning Sequence

The proper order for putting on PPE: gown first, followed by mask/respirator, goggles/face shield, and gloves last overlapping the gown cuff.