Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)
1. Explain how an infection develops in relation to the elements that make up the chain of transmission.

  • Definition: The chain of infection explains how disease spread through six key links.

  • Importance: Breaking any link in the chain stops disease transmission and protects health.

Transient vs. Resident Micro-organisms

  • Transient Micro-organisms:

    • Temporarily colonize skin.

    • Removed by hygiene practices.

  • Resident Micro-organisms:

    • Permanently reside on the skin.

    • Protect against infections by competing with pathogens.

Infectious Agents: The Start of Infection

  • Bacteria:

    • Single-celled organisms that can live independently.

    • Treatment involves antibiotics.

  • Viruses:

    • Tiny infectious agents that require a host cell to replicate.

    • Treatment includes vaccinations since antibiotics do not work on viruses.

  • Fungi:

    • Includes yeasts and molds, affecting individuals with weakened immune systems (opportunistic infections).

    • Treatment involves antifungal medications.

  • Parasites:

    • Live on or inside hosts, deriving nutrients at the host's expense (e.g., ticks).

    • Treatment involves antiparasitic drugs.

Pathogen Characteristics

  • Pathogenicity: Ability of a pathogen to cause disease.

  • Virulence: Severity of the disease caused.

  • Transmissibility: Ease with which a pathogen spreads.

Reservoir: Where Infectious Agents Live and Multiply

  • Definition: Reservoirs are habitats where infectious agents survive and multiply.

  • Human Reservoirs:

    • Humans can be carriers who harbor pathogens without showing symptoms.

  • Other Reservoirs:

    • Animals and environments can also sustain infectious diseases.

Portal of Exit: How Infectious Agents Leave the Body

  • Infectious agents can exit via:

    • Respiratory secretions (e.g., coughs, sneezes)

    • Blood and bodily fluids

    • Skin lesions and gastrointestinal secretions

Modes of Transmission: How Infections Spread

  • Direct Contact: Spread through physical touch between individuals.

  • Indirect Contact: Spread via contaminated surfaces or objects.

  • Droplet Spread: Infectious droplets are released during coughing or sneezing.

  • Airborne Spread: Tiny particles remain suspended in the air and can be inhaled.

Vectorborne Transmission

  • Transmission occurs via vectors (e.g., mosquitoes, ticks, fleas) that carry pathogens between hosts, causing diseases.

Portal of Entry: How Infectious Agents Enter the Body

  • Infectious agents enter through:

    • Skin breaks

    • Respiratory tract

    • Gastrointestinal tract

    • Mucous membranes

  • Protecting these portals is essential to break the chain of infection and reduce risk.

Susceptible Host: The Final Link in the Chain of Infection

  • The susceptible host is an individual vulnerable to infection due to various factors, including:

    • Age

    • Immune status

    • Chronic illnesses

    • Medical treatments that increase host susceptibility to infections.

  • Importance: Protecting susceptible hosts is crucial in breaking the chain of infection and preventing its spread.

Breaking the Chain of Infection: Step-by-Step

When managing infection, focus on breaking the chain at various points:

  1. Infectious Agent: Identify and eliminate pathogens early to stop the spread.

  2. Reservoir & Portal of Exit: Clean surfaces and implement barriers to block exit points.

  3. Transmission & Entry: Practice hand hygiene and use personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent transmission.

2. Explain how the body protects itself against infection.

  • Physical Barriers:

    • Skin and mucous membranes block pathogens.

  • Chemical Defenses:

    • Secretions (e.g., saliva, stomach acid) destroy microbes.

  • Immune Response:

    • Inflammation and immune cells identify and eliminate infections.

3. Describe what a Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI) is, how they develop, and relate the development of HAIs to clients who are most susceptible.

Definition of HAIs

  • HAIs are infections acquired during healthcare delivery that were not present at the time of patient admission.

How HAIs Develop

  • They develop from exposure to pathogens via invasive devices or procedures in healthcare settings.

At-Risk Client Groups

  • Clients with weakened immunity or those with invasive devices are at the highest risk for acquiring HAIs.

4. Explain what an antimicrobial resistant organism (ARO) is.

  • AROs are microorganisms that survive regardless of antimicrobial treatments.

  • Resistance develops as microbes adapt to antimicrobial agents over time.

  • AROs complicate treatment, necessitating strict infection control measures in healthcare.

5. Differentiate between medical and surgical asepsis/ technique and recognize practices that are consistent with both.

  • Medical Asepsis: Reduces pathogens using hand hygiene and clean techniques.

  • Surgical Asepsis: Eliminates all microbes through sterile tools and environments.

Key Practices

  • Handwashing

  • Use of PPE

  • Creation of sterile fields

  • Equipment sterilization

6. Explain the rationale and demonstrate the practices of routine and additional precautions including contact, droplet, airborne, combination, and COVID precautions.

Routine Practices: Foundation of Infection Prevention

  • Routine practices apply universally across patients to prevent infection transmission.

Key Elements

  • Hand hygiene

  • Use of PPE

  • Safe equipment handling

  • Respiratory hygiene

  • These practices form the essential baseline before instituting isolation precautions.

Additional Precautions (Tier II)

  • Additional Precautions: Are implemented in addition to routine practices when known or suspected infection requires enhanced measures. These include contact, droplet, airborne, combination, and COVID-specific measures.

  • Contact Precautions:

    • Use gloves and gowns to prevent direct contact spread.

  • Droplet Precautions:

    • Use masks to protect against respiratory droplets.

  • Airborne Precautions:

    • Use N95 respirators for control of fine particles.

  • Combination Precautions: These are implemented when a pathogen can spread through multiple routes (e.g., both contact and droplet).

  • COVID-specific Measures: These refer to enhanced precautions tailored to the specific transmission characteristics of the COVID-19 virus, often including a combination of airborne, droplet, and contact precautions as indicated by current guidelines.

7. Explain the psychological effects a person on isolation precautions might experience, and how the nurse could decrease the risk.

Impact of Isolation

  • Isolation can induce anxiety, loneliness, and depression in patients, negatively impacting recovery.

  • Nurses can mitigate isolation stress through communication, empathy, and regular visits.

8. Examine a risk assessment approach for decision-making related to the use of isolation precautions.
9. Discuss the role of the clinical judgment model to determine infection prevention and control strategies.

  • These are critical components of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) strategies, where healthcare professionals apply a systematic evaluation of risks and utilize their clinical judgment to tailor and implement appropriate routine and additional precautions for patient safety.