Transcript Infection Control

Infection Control
Unit 13
Disease Prevention
• Asepsis: absence of disease-producing
microorganisms
• Medical Asepsis: medical practice that reduces the
numbers of microorganisms or interrupts transmission
from one person to another person or from person to
place or object.
• Handwashing
• Using nonsterile gloves when in contact with blood,
moist body fluid (except sweat), secretions,
excretions, mucous membranes or non-intact skin
• Cleaning and/or disinfecting equipment
Disease Prevention
• Guidelines for maintaining asepsis:
• Wash and dry hands well
• Wash breaks in skin immediately, clean with
antiseptic & report injury to supervisor
• Use gloves when necessary
• Bath or shower daily
• Wear clean clothing
• Keep your hair clean and away from your face
• Keep fingernails short and neat
• Other than plain wedding band, avoid wearing rings
• Assist patients with personal hygiene
Disease Prevention
• Guidelines for maintaining asepsis:
• Cover bedpans and urinals during transfers and
avoid “splashes” during this time.
• Avoid contaminating environmental surfaces when
wearing used gloves
• Use the overbed table only for clean items, such as
food trays, water pitcher, and clean supplies
• Keep the water pitcher covered at the bedside
• Keep food and water supplies clean
• Carry soiled linen away from your uniform
• Dispose of soiled linen according to policy
• Do not store items on floor
Disease Prevention
• Guidelines for maintaining asepsis:
• Avoid items that have been on the floor until they
have been disinfected
• Avoid activities that raise dust into the air
• Avoid shaking linen!
• Fold soiled linen inward and dispose of properly
• Keep soiled linen hamper, housekeeping cart from
clean linen cart and food cart by at least one room’s
width
• Clean from least soiled area to most soiled area
• Keep work areas clean
Disease Prevention
• Handwashing: most important measure the nursing
assistant can take to prevent the spread of disease
• Vigorous rubbing together of soap-lathered hands,
followed by rinse in running water
• Most important aspect of handwashing is friction
created when the hands are rubbed together,
thereby removing germs
• Prevents cross-contamination between one patient
and another, the equipment, and the nursing
assistant
• Most important measure to break the chain of
infection
Disease Prevention
• Handwashing: most important measure the nursing
assistant can take to prevent the spread of disease
• Should always occur before and after:
• Direct patient care
• Handling food
• Touching a wound
• Using the bathroom
• Should last a minimum of 30 seconds, or longer if
visibly soiled
• Use soap from dispenser instead of bar soap
• Alcohol-based cleaners can be used for routine
handwashing, unless hands are visibly soiled
Protecting Yourself
• Occupational Exposure Incident: contact with
potentially infectious material, such as blood or body
fluids containing pathogens
• Occurs when eyes, mouth or non-intact skin comes
in contact with potentially infectious material
• If this occurs:
• Rinse immediately and report the incident to your
supervisor
Standard Precautions
• Standard precautions: used in the care of ALL
patients without regard for disease or diagnosis
• Apply in all situations in which the nursing assistant
may have contact with blood, body fluids (except
sweat), secretions, excretions, mucus membranes,
and non-intact skin
• Involve the use of Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE)
Standard Precautions
• Guidelines:
• Proper handwashing or use of alcohol-based
product
• Wear gloves when potential contact with blood or
body fluids exist OR when the health care workers
skin (on their hands) is not intact
• NOTE: gloves are provided in patient care areas,
but the nursing assistant should carry a pair, so
they are available quickly, if needed
• Get new pair of gloves for every patient, every
situation
• Replace gloves you keep at beginning of shift
Standard Precautions
• Guidelines:
• If sensitivity to latex exists (patient or health care
worker) use non-latex gloves.
• Properly dispose of gloves, according to facility
policy
• Waterproof gowns, or plastic aprons; goggles,
masks or face shields are to be worn if possibility of
splashing exists
• Mask to mouth resuscitation devices should be
used during CPR
• Sharp objects should be carefully handled & should
be disposed of in puncture-resistant container
Standard Precautions
• Guidelines:
• Blood spills should be cleaned up immediately with
a disinfectant or bleach solution
• Do not eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics or
contact lenses in work areas
• Do not store food/drinks in refrigerators where they
may be exposed to blood or other body fluids
• Do not pick up broken glass with hands – even if
wearing gloves – use brush, tongs or forceps and a
dust pan
• All specimens are considered to be infectious
Transmission-Based Precautions
• Transmission-based precautions: used to interrupt
the mode of transmission of the causative agent
• Three major categories:
1. Airborne precautions: negative pressure
ventilation system; door to room is kept closed
and caregivers must wear special N95 mask when
entering room
2. Droplet precautions: surgical mask if working
within 3 feet of patient; patient wears mask if
leaving room
3. Contact precautions: gloves and gown are
required (gloves/gowns/masks are for SINGLE
USE ONLY!)
Transmission-Based Precautions
• Isolation Techniques: methods of caring for patient
with easily transmittable disease
• Each person working in isolation room must take
responsibility to using proper techniques to prevent
the spread of infection
• Isolation Unit: an area or private room used for
patients who:
• Are highly infectious
• Have poor personal hygiene
• Require special air control procedures within the
room
Transmission-Based Precautions
• Containment of contaminated articles:
• Should be handled as little as possible
• Fold dirtiest side inward
• Do not shake linen
• Bag linen before leaving the room
• Keep contaminated linen separate from regular
linen
• Transport soiled, wet linen in leak-proof bag
Transmission-Based Precautions
• Transporting the patient in isolation:
• Notify receiving agency staff of type of precaution
being used to ensure they are prepared to receive
patient
• If airborne or droplet precautions exists, patient is to
wear a mask when out of the room
• If patient is on contact precautions, infected areas
should be covered
• NOTE: The nursing assistant wears protective
equipment in the room only – not in the hallway!
Disinfection & Sterilization
• Disinfection: process by which chemicals are used to
eliminate harmful pathogens; the nursing assistant
may be required to disinfect reusable patient
equipment
• Sterilization: Elimination of all microorganisms from
an item
• Autoclave used to accomplish this process (uses
steam and pressure)
Disinfection & Sterilization
• Sterilization of equipment: is specially wrapped;
indicator strips change color when the contents of the
package are sterile
• Sterile procedures: surgical asepsis is used when
the patient care environment must be free of all
microorganisms; all equipment and supplies are sterile
• Sterile field: area of sterile equipment and materials;
special procedures are used when working with a
sterile field
• 1” border
• NEVER reach over sterile field
• If moist or wet = contaminated
The End