Patient Safety Flashcards
nurse putting gloves on without carrying out hand hygiene
what do you do
address in respectful matter to her
highlight importance of hand hygiene and protocols
refer to guidance
four key points relating to hand hygiene
- importance
- when to do hand hygiene
- proper hand hygiene techniques and duration
- hand hygiene in different instances = soap or alcohol gel and when to use
dentist has a pt with HIV and HCV, he always double gloves and arranges appt at end of day
how do you respond
acknowledge concerns but highlight that standard procedures already in place protect from bodily fluids and infection
tell him there is no evidence that double gloving is effective and may actually lead to needlestick
arranging appts and double gloving based on his infection status is discriminatory and does not align with equitable pt care
processes to implement in practice after agreeing SOP and training on hand hygiene
regular audits and monitoring
refresher training
feedback for staff
visual reminders
what are the 5 core stages of the washer-disinfector cycle
- flush/prewash
- main wash
- rinse
- thermal disinfection
- drying
explain the 5 core stages of washer-disinfector cycles
- flush/prewash - remove any gross contamination and makes it easier to remove surface contamination
- main wash - detergent to remove biological matter
- rinse - removes residue, biological or chemical
- thermal disinfection - kills microorganisms using heated water
- drying - hot air to remove moisture
what is HAI and the main ways to reduce them
healthcare-associated infections
hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection
name all 10 SICPs
- patient placement/assessment of infection risk
- hand hygiene
- respiratory and cough hygiene
- personal protective equipment
- safe management of the care environment
- safe management of care equipment
- safe management of healthcare linen
- safe management of blood and body fluids
- safe disposal of waste (including sharps)
occupational safety/managing prevention of exposure (including sharps)
name a solution to clean a blood spillage, concentration and how many minutes
sodium releasing agents - sodium hypochlorite, Haz Tabs
10,000ppm
5-10 mins
how is the chain of infection broken for contaminated forceps
when decontaminated
PPE worn when carying out manual washing
give 3 examples and what each each item is protecting you from
rubber gloves and heavy duty gloves - protects skin contact with infectious materials
face shield - prevents splatter into eyes/mouth/nose
apron - prevents splatter onto clothes, skin
how often should an ultrasonic cleaner be de-gassed
before initiating a cleaning cycle
what does de-gassing remove from ultrasonic cleaner
air bubbles
why is it important to remove air bubbles from ultrasonic cleaner
usually - bubbles will expand and implode, which will have a scouring effect against the hard surfaces of instruments
this is called cavitation, removes any contamination
air bubbles reduce efficacy of this, inhibits cavitation
why should dental handpieces not be placed in the ultrasonic cleaner
it removes lubrication from the instrument which is required for it to work
would need extra drying steps to avoid rust/corrosion
not good for water to get into the instrument as can damage and compromise performance
