MODULE 1: INFECTION CONTROL

• Infection is a condition that results when a microorganism invades the body, multiplies, and causes injury or disease
• Microorganism is a microscopic organism that can potentially benefit or harm living things
• Pathogens are microorganisms capable of causing or producing infection/disease
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responsible for investigating and controlling various diseases
• CDC develops guidelines and recommends safety precautions to protect healthcare workers and others from infection
• Nosocomial infections are acquired in the hospital
• Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) applies to infections associated with healthcare delivery in any healthcare setting, including home care
• The Chain of Infection is a model used to depict the transmission of infection with 6 components (IREMES)
• Infectious Agent, also called the causative agent, is the pathogenic microbe responsible for causing an infection such as bacteria, fungus, protozoan, rickettsia, virus
• Reservoir is the source of the infectious agent, a place where the microbe can survive and grow or multiply, including humans, animals, food, water, soil, and contaminated articles and equipment
• Reservoir Host is an individual or animal infected with a pathogen
• Fomite is an inanimate object that has the ability to transmit infection
• Fomite characteristics include viability of the microorganism, virulence of the microorganism, amount of contamination, and amount of time since the item was contaminated
• Exit Pathway is where the infectious agent leaves a reservoir host
• Means of Transmission is the method that an infectious agent uses to travel from a reservoir to a susceptible host, including airborne, contact, droplet, vector, vehicle
• Different modes of transmission include contact transmission, droplet spread/transmission, airborne transmission, vector transmission, and vehicle transmission
• Contact Transmission is the most common means of transmitting infection
• Two types of contact transmission are Direct Contact Transmission and Indirect Contact Transmission
• Droplet Spread/Transmission is the transfer of an infectious agent to the mucous membranes of a susceptible individual via infectious particles generated by coughing, sneezing, or talking
• Airborne Transmission involves dispersal of infectious agents that can remain infectious for long periods of time in particles that are typically less than 5 um in diameter and can be inhaled
• Vector Transmission is the transfer of an infectious agent carried by an insect, arthropod, or animal
• Two types of vector transmission are Mechanical Transmission and Biological Transmission
• Vehicle Transmission is the transmission of an infectious agent through contaminated food, water, or drugs
• Entry Pathway is where the infectious agent is able to enter a susceptible host, including body orifices, mucous membranes, broken skin
• Susceptible Host is someone with a decreased ability to resist infection
• Common factors that affect susceptibility include age, health, and immune status
• Common blood-borne pathogens in the healthcare setting include Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• Hepatitis B Virus is a blood-borne pathogen causing serum hepatitis, primarily affecting the liver
• Hepatitis C Virus is a blood-borne pathogen causing acute and chronic hepatitis, with complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) modes of transmission include vertical, parenteral, and sexual transmission
• Breaking the Chain of Infection involves safety rules and precautions when working in the laboratory and in-patient areas
• Infection Control Program is required by the Joint Commission in healthcare institutions to protect patients, employees, visitors, and others from infection
• Infection Control Methods include Hand Hygiene, Personal Protective Equipment, Isolation Procedures, Quarantine, Protective/Reverse Isolation, and Universal Precaution
• Hand Hygiene is one of the most important means of preventing the spread of infection through proper handwashing and alcohol-based antiseptic hand cleaners
• Personal Protective Equipment includes protective clothing and items worn to protect mucous membranes, airways, skin, and clothing from contact with infectious substances
• Isolation Procedures involve separating patients with transmissible infections from others and limiting their contact with hospital personnel and visitors
• Quarantine is the process of separating and restricting the movement of people exposed to a contagious disease
• Protective/Reverse Isolation is used for highly susceptible patients to prevent transmission of infection to them
• Universal Precaution considers all individuals' blood and certain body fluids as potentially infectious
• Personal Wellness requires a holistic approach including proper nutrition, rest and exercise, personal hygiene, back protection, and stress management