Transcript Chapter 14
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Chapter 14
Medical Asepsis and Infection Control
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Key Terms/Infection Control
Pathogens
Microorganisms causing infection in humans
Normal flora and fauna
Plants and animals normally found in the human
body
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Types of Pathogens
Bacteria
Viruses
Protozoa
Fungi
Helminths
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacteria
Once celled microorganisms found virtually
everywhere
Invade area not normally found
Ex. E. coli normally found in intestines—
helpful
Introduced to urinary system—trouble
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacteria
Name two bacteria that can only reproduce
inside the cells of the host.
Often spread through the bites of insects
(ticks and mites). These insects would be
referred to as ____________________.
Treatment for bacterial infections?
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Classifications of Bacteria by Shape
• Identifying bacteria in the laboratory
• Cocci—sphere shaped bacteria
• Clusters—staphylococci
• Chain—streptococci
• Bacilli—rod shaped
• Log like, vary in length
• Spirilla—spiral or coil shaped
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Gram Stain
Dark purple stain applied to slide
Other steps followed in lab
Bacteria take up stain
Under microscope—purple or blue—gram
negative organism; pink or red—gram positive
organism
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Viruses
Not a cell—a parasite—live within the cells of
the host and reproduce
Can only be seen with an electron microscope
All viruses potentially cause illness
Medication to treat a viral infection?
Are most viral infections severe?
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Viruses
Why not use an antibiotic?
When is an antibiotic appropriate with a viral
infection?
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Protozoa
Single celled animal
Lives in water
Ingested through water or food
Result—intestinal disease
If parasite—prescribed antiparasitic
medication
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Fungi
Can only be seen with use of a microscope?
How can fungi enter body?
Most suseptible individuals?
What is a systemic fungal infection?
In what forms are antifungal medications
available?
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Helminths
Parasitic worms
Target area in humans?
Enter most commonly through contaminated
food
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Staphylococcus aureus (gram + coccus)
Boils, toxic shock syndrome, osteomyelitis
Treatment—antibiotic (most not sensitive to
penicillin)
MRSA—methicillin resistant staphylococcus
aureus
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
MRSA
Health care associated—hospital, nursing home,
dialysis center…….
Can develop anywhere
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Health care associated risk factors
Most vulnerable elderly and those with weakened
immune systems
Invasive medical devices
Long term care facilities—prevalent—don’t always
know who has it—colonized
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Community acquired MRSA
Small red bumps—resembling pimple, boil or
spider bite
Can spread quickly—deep, painful abscesses
May stay confined to skin but can burrow deep to
bones, joints, bloodstream, heart, lungs and
produce potentially life-threatening infections
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Treatment
Vancomycin
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Streptococcus group A (gram + coccus)
Strep throat, ear infections, scarlet fever,
endocarditis
Necrotizing fasciitis—flesh-eating strep (rare but
can be fatal)
Treatment—antibiotics
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Clostridium perfringens (gram + bacillus spore
forming)
Gas gangrene in contaminated wounds
Usually occur after injury or surgery
Can occur anywhere on body, most common in
extremities
Occurs suddenly and spreads quickly
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Spore forming bacteria
Spores form around the organism
Protect organism from hostile environments
Chemicals and heat
Organism can be dormant for years unaffected by:
change in temperature, absence of air, water and
nutrients
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Gas gangrene
Spores live in dead tissue
Produce toxins that destroy more tissue
The gas forms bubbles in the dead tissue
Treatment
Antibiotics
Debridement
Amputation
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Clostridium Difficile (C-diff) (gram + bacillus
spore forming)
Antibiotic use
Contamination of food, objects and surfaces with
lack of or poor handwashing
Mild cases may get better when stop using
antibiotic
More severe cases need to take an antibiotic
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
C-diff
Vancomycin or metronidazole (Flaggyl)
Most commonly affects older adult in hospitals or
long term care facilities
Symptoms range from diarrhea to life-threatening
inflammation of the colon
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
Signs and symptoms of C-diff
Mild—watery diarrhea 3 or more times/day for
several days with abdominal pain or tenderness
Severe—watery diarrhea 15 or more times/day
Abdominal pain
Loss of appetite
Fever
Blood or pus in stool
Weight loss
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
C-diff
Bacteria produces toxins that attack the lining of
the intestines
Inflammation
Complications
Dehydration, kidney failure, perforation of
intestine, potential death
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
C-diff Risk Factors
Taking antibiotics
65 years of age or >
Health care setting
Immunocompromised
Inflammatory bowel disease, abdominal surgery
or GI procedure or previous C-diff infection
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
C-diff
Healthy individuals usually protected
Normal flora present
Unfortunately, a new aggressive strain has
appeared
Produces more toxins, more resistant to meds and
occurring in people who have not been hospitalized or
on antibiotics
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
E. coli (Escheria coli) (Gram – bacillus)
Normally found in the colon
Causes infection when enters other parts of the
body
Common cause of health care associated
infections
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Bacterial Infections
E. coli
VRE (Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci)
Generally enterococci are not very harmful or
virulent
But when infect urinary tract, surgical wounds or
bloodstream—may be difficult to treat, can be life
threatening
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Viral Infections
Herpes Simplex
Type 1—cold sore
Type 2—genital herpes
Herpesvirus 3
Varicella-zoster—shingles
Must have had chicken pox or chicken pox vaccine
Virus lies dormant in nerve endings
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Viral Infections
Shingles
Reactivation of chicken pox virus
Clusters of fluid filled vesicles along nerve
Painful
Immunocompromised individuals
Contagious?
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Viral Infections
Treatment
Antiviral medication when necessary
Example: Acyclovir
Must start within a particular time frame to be
most effective
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Viral Infections
Influenza
Flu
Flu versus common cold
Fever, respiratory congestion, sore throat, cough,
chills, headache, aching muscles and/or fatigue
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Viral Infections
Treatment
Symptomatic treatment
If necessary—antivirals (Tamiflu or Relenza)
Prevention
Annual flu immunization
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Viral Infections
West Nile Virus
Virus found in birds
Spread by mosquitos
Causes headache and confusion in some
May be asymptomatic in others
Treatment
Symptomatic—no antiviral exists
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Fungal Infections
Ringworm (microsporum epidermophyton)
Tinea—found on skin or scalp
Tinea capitis
Tinea pedis
Tinea cruris
Itchy, red, round patches
Treatment—antifungals
Start topical due to side effects
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Fungal Infections
Yeast infection (candida albicans)
Mouth—thrush
White lesions (cottage cheese), painful, bleed easily
Vagina
Itching, burning, swelling, irritation, discharge
May be due to antibiotic use
Can cause pneumonia and heart infections
Treatment--antifungal
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Protozoan Infections
Amebic dysentery
Causes severe bloody diarrhea
Can cause abscesses in body organs (liver, lungs
and/or brain
Spread through food or water contaminated with
stools
Can be spread person to person when contact
with mouth or rectal area of infected person
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Protozoan Infections
Amebic dysentery
Treatment
Amebicides and antibiotics
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Protozoan Infections
Giardiasis (giardia lamblia)
Often found in water
May also be spread through food prepared by
people who have a mild case of the illness
Causes diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea,
bloating
Treatment
Antibiotics
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Helminth Infections
Pinworms (Enterobius)
Look like white threads
Grow in the intestine
Most common parasitic worm in the U.S.
Swallow the eggs—hatch in the intestines
Spread easily
Treatment--antihelmintics
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Helminth Infections
Tapeworm (Taenia)
Undercooked meat containing the worm cysts
Head of wom attaches to wall of intestine
Grows
Bloating, constipation or diarrhea
Treatment--Antihelmintics
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Links in the Chain of Infection
Infectious agent or causative organism
Reservoir or place where the organism grows
Portal of exit
Mode of transmission
Portal of entry
Susceptible host or person
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Chain of Infection
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Types of Infections
Health-care-associated infection (HAI)
Previously referred to as nosocomial infection or
hospital acquired infection
Monitored very closely
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Nonreimbursement for HAIs
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) have now ceased to pay for
any costs related to three common hospitalacquired infections
Catheter-associated infections
Infections in the blood due to central vascular
lines
Infection in the chest incision after open-heart
surgery
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Types of Infections
Primary infection
Initial infection caused by one pathogen
Secondary infection
Caused by a second, different pathogen
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Types of Infections
Localized infection
Infection in one area of the body
Systemtic infection
Spreads from the one area of the body to other
areas
Septicemia
Microorganisms present and multiplying in the
blood
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Primary Defenses Against Infection
Skin—intact
Mucous membranes
Sticky—trap invading pathogens
Respiratory—GU
Gastrointestinal system
Saliva—enzymes Normal flora Hydrochloric acid
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Secondary Defenses
Against Infection
Inflammatory process
Elevated temperature—hostile
Complement cascade—specialized proteins
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Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Tertiary Defenses Against Infection
B and T cells
Lymphocytes found in lymph tissue (spleen,
thymus, lymph nodes and tonsils) and circulating
in the blood
Signal phagocytes to destroy invaders
Have major role in antigen-antibody response
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Factors Affecting Body Defenses
Against Infection
Age
Chemical exposure
Chronic illness
Lack of exercise
Lack of rest
Increased stress
Nonintact skin
Poor nutrition
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Preventing Infection
Do not become a mode of transmission
Prevent infection from
Patient-to-patient
Nurse-to-patient
Patient-to-nurse
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Techniques Performed in Medical
Asepsis
Hand hygiene
Maintaining a clean patient environment
Using standard precautions
Using transmission-based precautions when
necessary
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Preventing Infection
Most effective way to break the chain of
infection
HAND HYGIENE!!!!!
Handwashing
Hand sanitizer
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Surgical Asepsis/Sterile Technique
Surgical asepsis
Maintaining a sterile environment such as that
found in operating rooms
Sterile technique
Performing procedures in such a way that no
pathogens will enter the patient’s body when
inserting tubes or giving injections
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
True/False Question
A nurse uses surgical asepsis when performing
hand hygiene.
A. True
B. False
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Answer
B. False
Rationale: The term medical asepsis refers to
practices performed to prevent the spread of
infection. These practices, or techniques,
include performing hand hygiene, maintaining
a clean patient environment, using standard
precautions, and using transmission-based
precautions when necessary.
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
When to Wash Your Hands
After touching blood, body fluids, secretions,
excretions, or contaminated items
After using the restroom
Any time your hands are visibly dirty
After caring for a patient infected with a spore
forming organism
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
When to Wash Your Hands or Use
Hand Sanitizer
Immediately after removing gloves
Upon entering a patient’s room
Between caring for two patients in the same
room
When arriving on the nursing unit
After returning to the nursing unit from break
or meals
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Guidelines for Health Care Workers
Guidelines for preventing infection
Limit jewelry—watch and wedding ring
Only natural nails—tips < ¼ inch
Nail polish must be well kept—no chipping
Hand lotion—no oils
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Handwashing
Prefer not to use bar soap
Turn on water
Adjust to comfortable temperature
Wet hands under running water
Careful not to touch the dirty sink
Obtain a quarter size amount of soap in palm
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Handwashing
Work into a lather
Using friction
Rub palms together
Place one hand on top of the other and rub
Interlace fingers
Perform on both hands
Friction helps dislodge soil & microorganisms
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Handwashing
Rub fingernails against the palm of the
opposite hand
Work the lather around and under the nails
Lather around each wrist
Handwashing is recommended for at least 20
seconds—length of time to sing “happy
birthday” twice
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Handwashing
Rinse hands with fingers pointed downward
Allows water to urn from the cleanest area
downward
Avoid touching the sink
Dry hands with paper towel
Use a clean paper towel to turn off faucet
DROP paper towel in trash without touching
waste recepticle
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Hand Sanitizer
First—is it appropriate to use a hand sanitizer
Obtain the manufacturers recommended
amount of sanitizer in the palm of hand
Rub hands together so sanitizer covers all
surfaces of hands and fingers
Continue rubbing hands together, interlacing
fingers until hands are dry
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Maintaining a Clean Environment
and Equipment
Clean up spills as soon as occur—Safety and
potential breeding ground
Remove uneaten food from room
Offer handwashing to confined patients
Disinfect overbed table or ………………….
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Disinfection
Will remove most pathogens
Not some viruses or spore-forming bacteria
Must be sterilized
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Clean Environment and Equipment
Disposable equipment—single patient use
Reuseable equipment—must be disinfected
Disinfect according to facility policy
Dried blood—some viruses can survive for
days to week or more
Clean equipment and then send to central
supply
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Standard Precautions
Group of safety measures performed to
prevent the transmission of pathogens found
in the blood and body fluids
Includes performing hand hygiene, wearing
appropriate protective equipment if exposure
is possible, and using cough etiquette
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Protective Equipment Used With
Standard Precautions
Gloves*
Gown*
Mask*
Eye protection*
Face shield*
Puncture-resistant sharps container
*When risk of contact with blood or body fluids is
present
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Standard Precautions
Used with ALL patients—regardless of
diagnosis
Protect health care worker
Protects patients
Discuss Table 14-2
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Standard Precautions
View video on proper application and removal
of PPE
Discuss Box 14-3 Signs and Symptoms of Latex
Reactions
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Transmission-Based Precautions
Prevents the spread of known infection to
patients or health-care staff
Used when a patient has a communicable
illness spread through contact, respiratory
droplets, or through the air
Gowns, gloves, masks, eye protection, and
possibly head covers are used for protection
as appropriate
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Transmission-Based Precautions
Contact—Direct and Indirect Contact
Use for excessive wound drainage, fecal
incontinence, and infection with multidrugresistant organisms
Droplet
Use when in close contact with respiratory or
mucous membrane secretions
Airborne
Use with pathogens spread by air currents
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Contact Isolation
Most common path of transmission is by
direct contact
One person directly to another—usually hands
Indirect contact—microorganisms from
someone contaminate an object (BP cuff) then
cuff is used on a susceptible host
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Contact Isolation
Wash hands
Gloves
Gown
Upon entering room
Wear gloves to touch patient and contents of
room
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Droplet Isolation
Illness transmitted from respiratory system
Through small droplets—coughing, sneezing,
talking
Droplets then inhaled or swallowed by
another person
3 feet distance from patient if not wearing PPE
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Droplet Isolation
Not ideal but can share room with another
patient not on droplet isolation—but must be
3’ apart and pull curtain
Proper PPE
Mask
Gloves
Gown
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Droplet Isolation
Patient teaching
Teach and encourage proper cough etiquette
Cough/sneeze into a tissue
Discard tissue properly
Hand hygiene
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Airborne Isolation
Infectious particles so small and lightweight
float on air
Catch an air current
Airborne infection isolation room—previously
negative pressure room
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Airborne Isolation
N95 respirator mask
Custom fit
Gloves
Gown
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis
Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections, & Skills
Caring for Patients in Isolation
Spend time talking with the patient while you are in
the room
Ask the patient if you can bring him or her anything
to pass the time, such as newspapers or magazines
Avoid expressing distaste regarding the patient’s
diagnosis or having to enter an isolation room
Remember that the patient is a person first, and that
the diagnosis is secondary to his or her human needs
Copyright © 2011 F.A. Davis