Unit 2 Lesson 5: More Ways to Fight Infection

Question 1

. In the 1980s, universal precautions were introduced that mandated healthcare workers to treat all blood or bodily fluids as if they were contaminated with blood borne pathogens. This involved the use of

Answer 1

This involved the use of PPE such as gloves and face shields when there was a likelihood of fluids splashing. This was also the era that introduced sharps containers for disposal of needles, reducing the risk for accidentally puncturing the skin of workers and the possibility of spreading disease. These practices came out of the scare induced by the spread of HIV, and as such there was a social stigma attached to them.

Question 2

In 1996, the universal precautions were folded into what are now known as standard precautions. What were the precaustions

Answer 2

. Not only do these precautions mandate the use of PPE when any bodily fluids are present, but they also include hand and respiratory hygiene, sharps and injection safety, sterilizing of medical instruments, and environmental cleaning to reduce pathogens.

Question 3

The standard precautions are designed to do what

Answer 3

The standard precautions are designed to reduce the transmission of infectious disease in most cases, and they provide protection for workers, for patients, and the public.

Question 4

In cases where the standard precautions are not sufficient, transmission-based precautions are used. What is that

Answer 4

additional infection-control practices to be used with patients known or suspected to be infected with a highly-transmissible disease

Question 5

OSHA requires employers to provide workers with

Answer 5

OSHA requires employers to provide workers with PPE for use in standard precautions and transmission-based precautions.

Question 6

Transmission-based precautions are divided into three separate categories based on the transmission method of the particular pathogen involved. For patients with a known or suspected infection spread by direct contact or indirect contact with items in the patient’s environment,contact precautions are warranted. Whats that

Answer 6

These are the most common type of transmission-based precautions used, and they include proper patient placement to minimize risk to others, appropriate use of PPE, limiting the travel or movement of patients, disposable or dedicated patient care equipment, and prioritized cleaning of the room.

Question 7

Transmission-based precautions are divided into three separate categories based on the transmission method of the particular pathogen involved. What are Droplet precautions? When are they used

Answer 7

Droplet precautions are used with patients known or suspected to be infected with a pathogen that is transmitted through respiratory droplets.

Question 8

How to treat a patient following Droplet precautions

Answer 8

Place a mask on the patient and don a mask when entering the patient room. The patient should be placed to minimize risk to others, in a single room if possible. The patient’s movement and travel should be limited. Droplets can be transmitted by coughing, sneezing, or even just talking, so masks are a must.

Question 9

Transmission-based precautions are divided into three separate categories based on the transmission method of the particular pathogen involved. Patients known or suspected to be infected with a pathogen that is transmitted through the air should be placed under

Answer 9

airborne precautions

Question 9

How to treat a patient with airborne precautions

Answer 9

Patients must wear a mask and be placed in an airborne infection isolation room with special ventilation equipment. PPE for healthcare workers entering the room include special respirators, and patient movement should be limited. Restrict healthcare personnel who are susceptible from entering the room if others are available and give vaccinations to susceptible people who have had contact with the patient.

Question 10

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

Answer 10

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) are infections people get while they are receiving care for another condition.

Question 11

What does the term nosocomial infection refer to

Answer 11

The term nosocomial infection refers to HAIs that occur in hospitals and is sometimes used when discussing HAIs.

Question 12

the CDC has a tracking system for HAIs called the ? that allows healthcare facilities to report incidences of HAIs

Answer 12

National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)

Question 13

Why do many states require facilities to report all HAIs

Answer 13

Many states require facilities to report all HAIs to the NHSN, bringing together data that can help the whole healthcare system find ways to decrease HAIs and address facilities with high rates of HAIs.

Question 14

Healthcare-acquired infections that are common in US hospitals include

Answer 14

pneumonia, Clostridium difficile (often called C. diff for short), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), urinary tract infections, central-line associated bloodstream infections, and surgical site infections.

Question 15

Are Healthcare-acquired infections easy to treat

Answer 15

ften, these HAIs are difficult to treat, and the use of catheters, injections, or surgery increase the risks for contracting an infection while being treated for another condition.

Question 16

opportunistic infections

Answer 16

or people with certain diseases like HIV/AIDS, opportunistic infections can take advantage of weakened immunity to infect those individuals, adding another burden for already ill patients to fight. These opportunistic infections may be relatively harmless to a healthy individual and can include common fungal and viral infections, but some are deadlier, like cancer.

Question 17

Special practices when vulnerable patients are being treated can help, including

Answer 17

protective isolation and basic standard precautions to keep the environment and contact with providers relatively free from pathogens, based on the needs of the patient.

Question 18

Antibiotics are drugs used to treat bacterial infections, but because they have been used very widely, what are some bacteria doing

Answer 18

some bacteria are adapting and becoming resistant to antibiotics. The more we use antibiotics, especially when they are not needed, the more drug-resistant strains of pathogens will develop. These diseases are very hard to treat, increase healthcare costs, and lead to many deaths.

Question 19

There are measures that healthcare workers can take to help reduce the development and spread of these dangerous and difficult-to-treat pathogens.

Answer 19

All the infection control procedures that you practice can help prevent the spread of common infections and drug-resistant infections too. Fewer infections means fewer antibiotics need to be used and fewer chances for pathogens to develop resistance. Washing hands, maintaining all the standard precautions, and instituting transmission-based precautions will help in the worldwide fight against these rising threats. When drug-resistant pathogens spread, they can’t be treated by first line antibiotics, and more expensive drugs need to be used. In the worst cases, multidrug-resistant diseases are developing that are extremely difficult to treat and therefore much deadlier. We want modern medicine to make people better when they get sick, and to do this, we need to maintain the effectiveness of our treatments.