preventing infection and isolation precautions

asepsis

the absence of disease producing microbes

medical asepsis (clean technique)

practices used to reduce the number of and transfer of microbes

surgical asepsis (sterile technique)

practices used to remove ALL microbes

when to use soap and water

• when they are visibly dirty/soiled

• before eating

• after using the restroom

• after caring for a person with known or suspected infectious diarrhea

• after known or suspected exposure to spores

• if an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is not available

when to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer

• before touching a patient/resident

• before performing a clean or aseptic task

• before moving from a soiled body site to a clean body site on the same person

• after contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated items/surfaces

• after touching a patient/resident

• after touching items close to a patient/resident

• after removing gloves

hand washing

1. turn on warm water with a clean paper towel

2. apply soap

3. rub palms together; interlace fingers

4. lather wrists, hands, fingers

5. clean back of and in between fingers

6. rub fingertips against palms

7. clean under fingernails with a nail file or orangewood stick

8. rinse from wrists to fingertips

9. pat dry with a clean paper towel starting at fingertips

10. turn off water with a clean paper towel

when do you clean under your fingernails?

for the first hand washing of the day and when your hands are visibly soiled

using alcohol-based hand sanitizer

1. apply palmful of sanitizer into cupped hand

2. rub palms together

3. rub palm of 1 hand over the back of other

4. rub palms together with fingers interlaced

5. interlock fingers and rub back and forth

6. rub thumb of 1 hand in the palm of the other

7. rub fingers of 1 hand into palm of other in a circular motion

8. continue rubbing hands until they are dry

patient zone

includes the patient/resident and their close surroundings

healthcare area

includes all objects outside of the patient zone

5 moments for hand hygiene

1. before touching a patient/resident

2. before a clean/aseptic procedure

3. after body fluid exposure risk

4. after touching a patient/resident

5. after touching a patient/resident surroundings

moment 1: before touching a patient/resident

occurs between the last contact with an object in the health care area and the first contact with the person

moment 2: before a clean/aseptic procedure

occurs between the last contact with any object and before a task involving contact with mucous membranes, non-intact skin, or invasive medical devices

moment 3: after body fluid exposure risk

occurs after a task that exposes the hands to body fluids; hand hygiene must occur before contact with any other object

moment 4: after touching a patient/resident

occurs after contact with the person and before touching an object in the healthcare area

moment 5: after touching patient/resident surroundings

occurs after touching any object in the patient zone and before touching any object in the health care area

the bloodborne pathogen standard

a regulation of OSHA that protects the health team from exposure to bloodborne pathogens

personal protective equipment (PPE)

clothing or equipment worn by staff for protection against a hazard; worn when contact with blood/body fluids is likely

requirements for PPE

• remove PPE before leaving work area

• remove PPE when it becomes contaminated

• place used PPE in marked areas/containers

• wear gloves for contact with blood or OPIM

• wear gloves to handle/touch contaminated items/surfaces

• replace worn, punctured, or contaminated gloves

• discard utility gloves that show signs of cracking, peeling, tearing, or puncturing

donning PPE

1. hand hygiene

2. gown

3. mask/respirator

4. goggles/face shield

5. gloves

doffing PPE

1. gloves

2. goggles/face shield

3. gown

4. mask/respirator

5. hand hygiene (practice hand hygiene between each step if hands become contaminated)