Infection control and healthcare systems

  • Microorganisms exist and maintain bodily functions
    - Pathogens are microorganisms that cause diseases

    - Non pathogens are microorganisms that are essential to our body and don’t cause disease

  • Viruses require a living cell to reproduce and canNOT replicate on their own

  • Some viruses that infect animals have changed to infect humans.

  • Microorganisms do NOT thrive i cold environments but prefer warmer, darker and moist places.

  • Antibiotics are ONLY effective against bacteria.

  • Standard precautions are used with in contact with bodily fluids like
    - Blood

    - Mucus
    - Sputum
    - Saliva
    -Urine
    - Feces

  • Treat patients as if THEY ARE SICK and are CARRIERS of infection

  • NEVER recap used needles. Put them in the Sharps container

  • Always use gloves in procedures that involve bodily fluids

  • Never reuse gloves even if you think they haven’t been contaminated

  • Wear masks in all procedures that involve airborne or droplets

  • Masks should be changed frequently(Max of 30 minutes)

  • ALWAYS change masks if they become wet.

  • Use resuscitation devices instead of direct contact to reduce infection from mouth to mouth

  • OSHA only requires vaccinations for Hepatitis B

  • OSHA is not a part of the needlestick safety and prevention act

  • Minor injuies should be reported immediately

  • Linens soiled with body fluids should be treated as biohazardus and not mixed with regular laundry.

  • CDC(Centers for Disease Control and prevention)

  • the CDC is responsible for establishing standard precautions to prevent the spread of infections

  • Healthcare workers should follow standard precautions at all times, without exception

  • Under standard precautions, body fluids such as blood, urine, and saliva are infectious

  • Isolation methods depend on the cause of the patients disease, how it spreads and resistance to antibiotics

  • Certain patients will require protective or reverse isolation because of chemo or weakened immune systems
    Contact precautions

  • Not all precautions require a mask

  • Gowns and gloves are necessary for direct contact precautions
    DROPLET PRECAUTIONS

  • precautions that don’t require air to be filtered or vented outdoors

  • Unlike contact, these require masks

    AIRBORNE

  • airborne precautions necessitate the use of high-efficiency masks like n-95 or hepa filters

  • Specific measures like airborne precautions are required for diseases such as measles, chicken pox, whooping cough, anthrax or tuberculosis.

  • Airborne precautions require air to be filtered or vented outdoors

    UNDERSTANDING EPIDEMICS

  • an epidemic is a localized area while a pandemic is on a much larger scale.

    OSHA STANDARDS

  • Employers must follow protocols and provide hepsatitis b vaccines to employees free of charge or might encounter exposure.

    HAND HYGIENE

  • Healthcare workers st wash their hands in various situations, including

    —Before and after patient contact

    - when hands beome containated

    • before and after removing gloves

      -etc.