Module 3: Sterile Technique

Question 1

Medical asepsis (infection control)

Answer 1

Practice that prevents the spread of infection

Question 2

Nosocomial infection

Answer 2

Infection that originates in the health care facility

Question 3

Generalized infection

Answer 3

Spread throughout the body (fever, chills, pain)

Question 4

Susceptibility

Answer 4

Body’s ability to resist infection. Determined by age, underlying disease, nutrition, medications, etc.

Question 5

Pathogen

Answer 5

Microbes that cause disease

Question 6

Bacteria

Answer 6

Microorganisms that can be eliminated with antibiotics

Question 7

Viruses

Answer 7

Cause disease, cannot be eliminated by antibiotics; many treated with vaccines

Question 8

Disinfection

Answer 8

Destroy pathogens by scrubbing or soaking

Question 9

Antiseptic

Answer 9

Product that cleans the skin and removes microorganisms; do not use on equipment or for cleaning environmental surfaces

Question 10

Modes of transmission

Answer 10

Airborne, droplet, contact (direct, indirect), common vehicle (food, water), vector (fleas, ticks)

Question 11

Fomite

Answer 11

Linen, equipment, etc contaminated w/ microbes

Question 12

Droplet transmission distance

Answer 12

3 feet

Question 13

Chain of infection includes

Answer 13

Causative agent, reservoir, portal of entry, mode of transmission, portal of exit, susceptible host

Question 14

Clean and soiled items

Answer 14

Considered soiled even if not used but brought into pt room

Question 15

Hand washing

Answer 15

Most important method used to prevent spread of infection

Question 16

Mucous membranes

Answer 16

Tissues that secrete mucus; open to outside of body (nasal passage, mouth, eyes, vagina etc)

Question 17

Blood borne pathogens

Answer 17

Microbes that cause disease through contact with blood, mom-intact skin, mucous membranes, etc. (ex. Hep B & C, HIV, AIDS)

Question 18

Hepatitis

Answer 18

Inflammation of the liver; 6 types in US: A, B, C, D, E, G

Question 19

Hepatitis B

Answer 19

Infection of liver; may have no symptoms; diagnosed by blood test; jaundice; permanent liver damage

Question 20

Hepatitis C

Answer 20

Disease of liver; also affects white blood cells; liver cancer and failure

Question 21

Hep A & Hep E

Answer 21

Oral/ fecal contamination via food (A) or water (E)

Question 22

HIV

Answer 22

May have no symptoms; blood converts - to + when person becomes sick; blood test required; 6-10 years for AIDS to develop; lifelong carrier of HIV

Question 23

Standard precautions

Answer 23

Used in the care of all residents regardless of disease or diagnosis (hand washing, PPE, etc)

Question 24

Transmission based precautions

Answer 24

Regulated by CDC; includes airborne, droplet and contact precautions

Question 25

Negative pressure environment

Answer 25

For airborne precautions, ventilation is reversed; air is drawn upwards into vents, specially filtered or exhausted directly to outside

Question 26

E. coli

Answer 26

Resides in intestines; can cause UTIs; 0157:H7 outbreaks caused illness & death; transmitted via contaminated meat etc; supportive care

Question 27

Petechiae

Answer 27

Small purple spots on body surface caused by minute hemorrages

Question 28

Pseudomonas colitis

Answer 28

Caused by Clostridium difficle; develops in PTA on antibiotic therapy; foul smelling watery diarrhea; contact precautions

Question 29

Hantavirus

Answer 29

Spread by contact with rodents and their excretions; excretions become airborne and are inhaled; respiratory support; not transmitted person to person

Question 30

Shingles

Answer 30

Occurs only in people who have had chickenpox; lesions follow nerve pathways; contact and airborne precautions

Question 31

MRSA

Answer 31

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; difficult to treat drug resistant organism; contact precautions (wound) or droplet precautions (respiratory)

Question 32

VRE

Answer 32

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus; originates in colon; causes severe infections in parts of body; spread by contact

Question 33

Tuberculosis (TB)

Answer 33

Spreads via airborne; treatment 6mon-1yr; fever, night sweats, blood tinged mucus; vaccine is live, not given in US; growing health concern; treated with antibiotics

Question 34

Head lice

Answer 34

Parasites spread by contact with infected person (not animals); check for nits (eggs)

Question 35

Scabies

Answer 35

Caused by mites; highly contagious by direct and indirect contact; topical creams and lotions for treatment

Question 36

Sterile technique (surgical asepsis)

Answer 36

Microbe free method used for performing procedures within body cavities and during certain dressing changes

Question 37

Shingles caused by

Answer 37

Herpes zoster