NAAFP Chapter 6 Terms

antimicrobial

an agent that destroys, resists, and prevents the development of pathogens

autoclave

an appliance used to sterilize medical instruments or other objects by using steam under pressure

blood-borne pathogens

microorganisms found in human blood that can cause infections and disease

blood borne pathogen standard

federal law requiring that healthcare facilities protect employees from blood-borne health hazards

body fluids

tears, saliva, sputum (mucus coughed up), urine, feces, semen, vaginal secretions, pus or other wound drainage, and vomit

carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE)

bacteria that have developed resistance to carbapenms, which is a category of antibiotics

carrier

person who carries a pathogen, usually without signs or symptoms of diseases but who can still spread the disease

catheter

tube inserted through the skin or into a body opening that is used to administer or drain fluid

C. difficile or C. diff

an abbreviation for Clostridiodides difficile; a bacterium that is spread by the pores in feces that are difficult to kill; it causes symptoms such as diarrhea and nausea and can lead to serious inflammation of the colon (colitis)

centers for disease control and prevention (CDC)

federal government agency responsible for improving the overall health and safety of the people in the US

clean

in healthcare, a condition in which an object is not contaminated with pathogens

communicable disease

an infectious disease transmissible by direct contact or by indirect contact

contagious disease

a type of communicable disease that spreads quickly from person to person

contaminated

soiled, unclean, having disease causing organisms or infectious material on it

cross-infection

the physical movement or transfer of harmful bacteria from one person, object, or place to another, or from one part of the body to another

dehydration

an excessive loss of water from the body; a condition that occurs when fluid loss is greater than fluid intake

direct contact

way to transmit pathogens through touching the infected person or his secretions

dirty

in health care, a condition in which an object has been contaminated with pathogens

doff

to remove

don

to put on

drainage

flow of fluids from a wound or cavity

exposure control plan

plan that outlines specific work practices to prevent exposure to infectious material and identifies step-by-step procedures to follow when exposures do occur

exposure incident

specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, nonintact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that result from the performance of an employee’s duties

fomite

an object that is contaminated with a pathogen and can spread the pathogen to another person

hand hygiene

washing hands with either plain or antiseptic soap and water and using alcohol based hand rubs

hand rub

an alcohol containing preparation designed for application to the hands for reducing the number of microorganisms on the hands

healthcare-associated infection (HAI)

an infection acquired within a healthcare setting during the delivery of medical care

hepatitis

inflammation of the liver caused by certain viruses and other factors such as alcohol abuse, some medications, and trauma

immunity

resistance to infection by a specific pathogen

incubation period

the period of time between exposure to a pathogen and the time it causes visible signs and symptoms of disease or illness

indirect contact

way to transmit pathogens by touching something contaminated by the infected person

infection

the state resulting from pathogens invading the body and multiplying

infection prevention

set of methods used to prevent and control the spread of the disease

infectious disease

any disease caused by a growth of a pathogen

isolate

to keep something separate or by itself

localized infection

an infection that is limited to a specific location in the body and has local symptoms

malnutrition

a serious condition in which a person is not getting proper nutrition

medical asepsis

measures used to reduce, remove, and control the spread of pathogens

microbe

a living thing or organism that is so small that it is only visible under a microscope; also called microorganism

microorganism (MO)

a living thing or organism that is so small that it is only visible under a microscope; also called microbe

MRSA

an abbreivation for methicilllin-resistant Staphylococcus bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) that have developed resistance to the antibiotic methicillin

mucous membranes

the membranes that body cavities that open to the outside of the body, such as the linings of the mouth, nose, eye, rectum, or genitals

multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs)

microorganisms, mostly bacteria, that are resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents that are commonly used for treatments

noncommunicable disease

a disease not capable of being spread from one person to another

non intact skin

skin that is broken by abrasions, cuts, rashes, acne, pimples, lesions, surgical incisions, or boils

normal flora

microorganism that normally live in and on the body and do not cause harm in a healthy person, as long as the flora remain in that particular location

occupational safety and health administration OSHA

a federal government agency that makes and enforces rules to protect workers from hazards on the job

pathogens

microorganisms that are capable of causing infection and disease

perineal care

care of the genitals and anal area

personal protective equipment PPE

equipment that helps protect employees from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with workplace hazards

reinfection

being infected again with the same pathogen

resistance

the body’s ability to prevent infection and disease

sanitation

ways individual and communities maintain clean, hygienic conditions that help prevent disease, such as disposal of sewage and solid waste

standard precaution

a method of infection prevention in which all blood, body fluids, non intact skin, and mucous membranes are treated as if they were infected with an infectious disease

sterilization

cleaning measure that destroys all microorganisms, including pathogens

surgical asepsis

the state of being completely free of microorganisms, called sterile technique

systemic infection

an infection that is in the bloodstream and is spread throughout the body causing general symptoms

transmission

the way and means by which disease is spread

vaccine

a product that is administered to produce immunity to a specific disease

VRE

an abbreivation for vancomycin-resistant enteroccocus bacteria, entercocci that have developed resistance to the antibiotic vancomcyin