Session 4

Question 1

Define health care infection

Answer 1

An infection arising as a consequence of healthcare.

It includes patients, health workers and visitors

Question 2

How do health care infections impact on the NHS?

Answer 2

Patients are in hospitals for longer so adding to the shortage of beds.
Money spent having to treat the infection

Question 3

What are some examples of viruses that cause infection in a health care environment?

Answer 3

Blood bourne viruses eg Hep C
Norovirus (Spreads quickly, D&V)
Influenza (Spreads quickly)
Chicken Pox

Question 4

What are some examples of bacteria that cause infection in a health care environment?

Answer 4

Staphylococcus Aureus (Includes MRSA)
Clostridium Difficile (Severe Diarrhea, inflammed bowel)
Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae (Gram -ive rods)
Pseudomonas aueruginosa (Gram -ive rod)
Myobacterium tuberculosis (Usually due to human error)

Question 5

What are some examples of Fungi that cause infection in a health care environment?

Answer 5

Candida albicans (Common cause of blood stream infections)
Aspergillus species

Question 6

What are some examples of parasites that cause infection in a health care environment?

Answer 6

Malaria (Cross infection from other patients)

Question 7

What patient factors can help increase chance of infection?

Answer 7

Age extremities
Weight extremities
Diabetes
Cancer
Immunosuppression
Smoking

Question 8

What are the 4 p’s of infection, prevention and control?

Answer 8

Patient
Pathogen
Practice
Place

Question 9

What are the patient factors in infection, prevention and control?

Answer 9

The risk factors

Interaction with other patients, workers and visitors

Question 10

What are the pathogen factors in infection, prevention and control?

Answer 10

Virulence factors (eg new strains)
Ecological interactions
Antibiotics/disinfectants

Question 11

What are the practice factors in infection, prevention and control?

Answer 11

Activities of the health care workers
Policies and how they are implemented
Organisation and engagement
Leadership and initiative at all levels

Question 12

What are the place factors in infection, prevention and control?

Answer 12

The healthcare environment such as fixed features and variable features. eg nightingale wards

Question 13

What are some of the interventions a patient can do to prevent infection?

Answer 13

General - Antimicrobial prophylaxis, skin prep. hang hygiene.
Specific - MRSA screen, disinfecting body wash, Isolation of infected or susceptible patients

Question 14

What are some of the interventions a health care worker can do to prevent infection?

Answer 14

Ensure they come to work healthy and disease free
Maintain vaccinations
Follow through with good practice eg hand hygiene
Antimicrobial prescribing

Question 15

What are some of the environmental interventions that help prevent infection?

Answer 15

The space between patients
The layout of the ward eg Nightingale
How many patients per toilet
Access to hand wash basins
Cleaning with disinfectants, steam, hydrogen peroxide vapour