Sterilization, Disinfection, and Antisepsis Flashcards
1
Q
sterilization
A
- describes a process that destroys or eliminates all forms of microbial life and is carried out in health care facilities by physical or chemical methods
- reduces numbers of microorganisms on a device to a level that is insufficient to transmit infectious organisms
2
Q
disinfection
A
- describes a process that eliminates many or all pathogenic microorganisms, except bacterial spores, on inanimate objects
- doesn’t necessarily kill all microorganisms
- reduces numbers of microorganisms on a device to a level that is insufficient to transmit infectious organisms
3
Q
Health care associated infections
A
- over a quarter of all hospital acquired HAIs are caused by four types of infections:
- pneumonia
- bloodstream infection
- urinary tract infection
- surgical site infection
4
Q
high level disinfection
A
- destroys all microorganisms except high number of bacterial spores
- pasteurization and liquid immersion in chemical sterilants (used for heat sensitive semi-critical items such as GI endoscopes, bronchoscopes
5
Q
intermediate level disinfection
A
- destroys vegetative bactera, mycobacteria, most viruses, most fungi, not bacterial spores
- hospital disinfectants with label claim regarding tuberculocidal activity used in non critical patient care items or surfaces with visible blood
- chlorine based products
6
Q
low level disinfection
A
- destroys vegetative bacteria, some fungi and viruses, not sports or mycobacteria
- no tuberculocidal claim-phenolics, quants, 70-90% alcohol
7
Q
antisepsis
A
- the reduction of microorganisms on living skin/tissue
- do not kill spores and can’t be used as disinfectants
8
Q
HAI risk factors
A
- use of indwelling medical devices such as bloodstream, endotracheal, and urinary catheters
- transmission of communicable diseases between patients and HCWs
- surgical procedures
- injections
- contamination of healthcare environment
- overuse or improper use of antibiotics
9
Q
challenges to avoiding HAIs
A
- reprocessing of medical devices is a challenge w
- endoscopes are probably the most challenging reprocessing task in health care
- flexible endoscopes have intricate sophisticated small parts that are difficult to clean before they can be disinfected
- 23.0% of 71 internal channels grew more than 10^6 CFU and 78% of facilities didn’t sterilize forceps
10
Q
Ignaz Semmelweis
A
- professor of obsetrics
- thought particles from cadavers were spreading disease
- said they should soak hands in chlorine (1847)
- people called him crazy
- died in mental institution
11
Q
Florence Nightingal
A
-showed mortality rate in most hospitals was over 50%
12
Q
Joseph Lister
A
- 1865 Pasteur said decay was caused by organisms in air that cause fermentation-lister made connection with wound sepsis
- used carbolic acid to sterilize wounds
- ward remained clear of sepsis for 9 months
- 1869-spray techniques for aseptic surgery
13
Q
decontamination
A
- removal of debris, blood, and proteins and most microorganisms
- not necessarily rendering device safe to handle by HCWs who are not wearing protective attire
14
Q
critical items
A
- instruments or object that are introduced directly into the bloodstream of into other normally sterile areas of the body
- want sterilization
15
Q
semicritical items
A
- non-invasive flexible and rigid fiber optic endoscopes, endotracheal tubes, anesthesia breathing circuits and cytoscopes
- come into contact with mucous membranes or non intact skin, should be free of everything except spores
- high level disinfectant
16
Q
non-critical items
A
- those that either do not ordinarily touch the patient and touch only in tact skin
- have to be careful about MRSA
17
Q
cidal
A
- killing of microoganism
- germicides
- kill microbes but not necessarily their endospores
18
Q
static/stasis
A
-inhibit growth or multiplication of microorganism
