Infection Control Practices in Healthcare: Prevention and Protocol

1. Infection Control • Define the terms relating to infection control practices in health care • Describe the four major groups of pathogens and research common infectious diseases associated with each group • Describe the infectious process and methods to prevent infection • Describe the methods of Standard an Transmiss • on-Based Isolation Precautions that prevent the spread of micro-organisms • Describe three levels of medical asepsis • List the principles of surgical asepsis • How can health care works keep infection from spreading? • What are the links in the chain of infection? • How can health care professionals prevent the spread of disease at each link in the chain of infection? • How are diseases transmitted from person to person? • Why do some people get sick and others do not? • What are the advantages of washing hands with soap and water vs hand sanitizer? • When should a health care worker use sterile gloving rather than normal • gloving?

2. Infection Control • Direct correlation between exposure to microorganisms and disease

3. Types of Microorganisms • Pathogens • Any disease causing microorganisms • Non-pathogens • Normal body flora • Beneficial: • maintaining body processes • food production • Yogurt, sour cream, beer, bread

4. Types of Pathogens • Fungi: • Molds and yeasts • Found in air, soil, water • Causes: • Athlete’s foot • Ringworm • Thrush

5. Types of Pathogens • Protozoa: • Only group of microbes classified as animals • Usually found in watery environments • Causes: • STDs • Malaria • Dysentery

6. Types of Pathogens • Viruses: • Obligate intracellular parasite • Cannot reproduce unless inside host cell • Not susceptible to antibiotics • Causes: • Varicella (chickenpox) • Common cold • Herpes

7. Bacteria • Simple one celled plants that multiply rapidly • Classified by shape • Bacilli • Rod-shaped • Have ability to form spores-a protective hard “shell” protects daughter cell • Cause: • Tuberculosis • Whooping cough • Food poisoning

8. Bacteria • Cocci • Round shaped • Cause: • Gonorrheae • Strep throat • Wound infections • Toxic shock syndrome

9. Spirals • Spirilla • Spiral or corkscrew shaped • Causes: • Syphilis • Cholera

10. Factors Required for Microbial Growth

11. Factors required for microbial growth • Warm environment • Body temperature • Darkness • Many killed by sunlight • Source of food • Moisture • Varying oxygen needs

12. How Microorganisms Cause Disease

13. How microbes cause disease • Toxins • poisons • Allergic reaction • Runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing • Cell invasion • Invades living cells and destroy them

14. How Microorganisms Are Spread

15. How Microorganisms are spread • Direct contact • Directly from one person to another • Sex, kissing, touching • Indirect contact • From inanimate objects or food • Airborne • Droplets from sneezing and coughing • Droplets of blood and body fluids • Insects and pests

16. The Chain of Infection

17. 1st Link- The Infectious Agent Any pathogen

18. 2nd Link- The Reservoir • Organism or environment where infectious agent resides • People • Equipment • Water • Carrier Host • Shows no outward signs/symptoms of disease, but capable of transmitting the disease

19. 3rd Link- Portal of Exit • Route of escape of pathogen from reservoir • Examples: • respiratory tract • gastrointestinal tract • genitourinary tract • breaks in skin

20. 4th Link- Route of Transmission • Method by which pathogen gets from reservoir to new host • Direct contact: • Sexual contact • Contact blood/body fluids • Indirect contact: • Objects to person • Airborne • Insects and pests

21. 5th Link- Portal of Entry • Route which pathogen enters new host • Examples: • Respiratory tract • Gastrointestinal tract • Genitourinary tract • Mucous membranes • Breaks in skin

22. 6th Link- Susceptible Host • Organism that is at risk for infection • Organism with weakened immune system • Examples: • AIDS pts • Pts on chemotherapy • Transplant pts • Elderly and very young • Burn pts

23. Remember--breaking the chain of infection is the responsibility of each health professional. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQzvS7f__rc

24. Standard Precautions • Developed by the CDC • Applied to all clients regardless of diagnosis and infection status • Use when performing procedures requiring contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membranes or contaminated items. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8vBQd3jnSg

25. Standard Precautions • Use appropriate personal protective equipment • Wash hands frequently • Bandage cuts properly • Use face shields during CPR

26. Precautions for Environmental Cleanliness • Place sharps in puncture-proof biohazardous waste containers • Clean up spills immediately • Discard infectious waste in biohazardous waste bags • Place contaminated linens in biohazardous laundry bags

27. Gowns • Gowns should be worn when using chemical solutions and during procedures where splashing or spraying of blood and bodily fluid is likely. • Disposable gowns should be placed into biohazardous waste containers after use. • Non-disposable gowns may be placed into biohazardous linens bags.

28. Masks and Eyewear • Masks and eyewear must be worn for procedures that may produce splashes or sprays of blood or bodily fluid. • Masks should be worn once and then discarded into biohazardous waste containers. • Eyewear is often reusable. However, it must be cleaned and disinfected before reuse.

29. Non-Sterile Gloves • Non-sterile gloves should be worn when contacting blood or other bodily fluids and when handling or cleaning contaminated items. • The same pair of gloves should never be worn in more than one procedure. • Wearing gloves should never replace washing hands.

30. Hand Washing Tips • Sink, handles, and faucet is considered contaminated • Use warm water • less damaging to skin • Liquid soap preferred • Friction, sudsing action & alkalinity of soap • bar soap and dish are contaminated • Keeping fingertips pointed downward • Wash palms, backs, sides, between fingers, under and around nails, 2 in up arm • 1 ½ to 2 min

31. When Hands Should Be Washed • Beginning and end of shift • Between patients • After removing gloves and other protective wear

32. When Hands Should Be Washed • When visibly contaminated with blood or tissues • Before leaving the patient area • Before and after eating, applying makeup, using the bathroom, handling contact lenses, handling equipment

33. Time for • Handwashing Video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYiEQaAQFxY • Donning and removing disposable gloves • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I_kKVNrEMo

34. Aseptic Techniques • Medical asepsis or clean techniques designed to prevent spread of disease

35. Aseptic Techniques • Antiseptic • Bacteriostatic substances that inhibit the growth of bacteria • Can be used on the skin • Alcohol and iodine • Disinfectant • Bactericidal substances that kill bacteria and most viruses • Cannot be used on the skin • 10% bleach, chemicals, boiling

36. Aseptic Techniques • Sterilization • Process destroys all microbes including spores • This includes steam or gas under pressure, radiation and chemicals using an autoclave

37. Aseptic Techniques • Surgical asepsis • The use of all levels of aseptic techniques to prevent introduction of harmful microorganisms into the patient

38. Infection Control Questions Describe your condition when “fit & well”. What kind of symptoms indicate the presence of disease? What is your experience of methods used to fight disease? Give examples of diseases caused by living organisms. Why do people in developing countries suffer more than in developed countries? List the four major groups of pathogens. Describe how bacteria play a beneficial role. Describe environmental factors influencing how bacteria grow. Explain how viruses differ from bacteria. Explain why viruses are spread so easily and are so hard to get rid of.