MICROPARAL3

• The chain of infection model consists of six links: the disease organism (agent), reservoir, mode of escape, mode of transfer, mode of entry, and susceptible host

  
• For an infectious disease to spread, all six links in the chain of infection must be present
• The poster outlining airborne precautions in a healthcare setting includes information on how to properly wear an N95 respirator mask, limit patient movement, and clean and disinfect the patient's room

  
• Normal flora consists of microorganisms residing on the skin, saliva, oral mucosa, conjunctiva, and gastrointestinal tracts
• Types of normal flora:

  • Resident flora: fixed microorganisms regularly found in a given area at a given age
  • Transient flora: non-pathogenic or potentially pathogenic microorganisms derived from the environment
• Importance of normal flora:

  • Synthesizes B-complex and Vitamin K
  • Protects the body by preventing colonization of pathogenic microorganisms
  • Elevates the immune system
  • Produces antibiotic-like substances, e.g., bacteriocin
• Harmful effects of normal flora:

  • Become opportunistic pathogens causing disease
  • Cause diagnostic confusion
  • Penicillinase-producing microorganisms lead to antibiotic resistance
• Normal flora of the eye/conjunctiva:

  • Low numbers due to high moisture and blinking
  • Includes Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staph aureus, C diptheroid, Strep pneumoniae
• Normal flora of the skin:

  • Consists primarily of bacteria and fungi
  • Resident flora includes Staphylococcus epidermis, Staph aureus, Diphtheroids
• Normal flora of the digestive system:

  • Microflora of the oral cavity includes various bacteria, yeast, and moulds
  • Stomach, small intestine, large intestine have specific flora like lactobacilli, Candida albicans, and more
• Sepsis is a clinical condition where infectious agents spread throughout the body from a localized site of infection, causing organ damage
• Asepsis refers to a condition where the individual and the environment are free of microorganisms, aiming to protect patients from nosocomial infections
• Types of asepsis:

  • Medical asepsis involves procedures to reduce and prevent the spread of microorganisms in clinical settings
  • Surgical asepsis aims to eliminate microorganisms from the surgical site to prevent contamination
• Infections are the growth of microorganisms in the body, with infectious diseases occurring when pathogens invade a susceptible host and complete part of their life cycle in that host
• Infection process:

  • The cycle of infection has six links, with each link necessary for the infection cycle to continue
  • Removing one link in the chain stops the infection cycle
• The five moments for hand hygiene in a hospital setting are:

  • Before patient contact
  • Before an aseptic task
  • After body fluid exposure risk
  • After patient contact
  • After contact with patient surroundings

  
• The chain of infection model consists of six links:

  1. The disease organism (agent)

  2. The reservoir

  3. The mode of escape

  4. The mode of transfer

  5. The mode of entry

  6. The susceptible host

  • All six links must be present for an infectious disease to spread

  
• Airborne precautions in healthcare settings include:

  • Properly wearing an N95 respirator mask
  • Limiting the movement of patients
  • Cleaning and disinfecting the patient's room

  
• Three common modes of transmission of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) are:

  • Contact transmission: requires some form of touch
  • Droplet transmission: pathogens travel from respiratory to susceptible mucosal surfaces
  • Airborne transmission: occurs with dissemination of airborne droplet nuclei or small particles containing pathogens
• Universal precautions in healthcare settings aim to minimize the spread of microbes and protect patients, staff, and visitors:

  • Standard precautions are fundamental measures applied to every person to avoid pathogen transmission
  • Transmission-based precautions are used for individuals with known or suspected highly transmissible infections
  • Isolation is the process of separating an individual with an infectious disease to prevent spread
• Principles of surgical asepsis include:

  • All objects used in a sterile field must be sterile
  • A sterile object becomes non-sterile when touched by a non-sterile object
  • Sterile fields must always be kept in sight
  • Movement around and in a sterile field must not compromise or contaminate it
• Medical asepsis and surgical asepsis are two forms of asepsis:

  • Medical asepsis focuses on reducing disease-causing agents and their spread
  • Surgical asepsis aims for the complete eradication of disease-causing agents and their spores from an object
• Infection is the growth of microorganisms in the body, and an infectious disease occurs when pathogens invade a susceptible host and carry out part of their life cycle in that host
• The cycle of infection has six links that must be present in a logical sequence for disease to occur, including the agent of infection, reservoir, exit route, mode of transmission, entry of microorganisms, and susceptible host
• Aseptic techniques are used to minimize contamination, and in healthcare facilities, a break in the chain of infection transmission is possible by encouraging the use of aseptic technique
• General aseptic procedures include frequent hand washing, use of personal protective equipment like masks and gloves, keeping fingernails clean and short, and health education to prevent the spread of communicable diseases
• Control of healthcare-associated infections involves universal precautions in healthcare and residential settings to minimize the spread of microbes and protect patients, staff, and visitors from contact with pathogens
• Standard precautions are fundamental measures applied to every person in healthcare to avoid pathogen transmission, including hand hygiene, use of PPE, respiratory hygiene, disinfection, safe injection practices, patient placement, and more
• Transmission-based precautions are used for individuals with known or suspected infections that are highly transmissible or epidemiologically important pathogens, including contact, droplet, and airborne precautions
• Transmission-based precautions for specific infections:

  • Chickenpox: Airborne Precautions
  • Clostridium difficile: Contact Precautions
  • COVID-19: Airborne Precautions
  • Influenza: Droplet Precautions
  • Measles: Airborne Precautions
  • Meningitis: Droplet Precautions
  • Pneumonia: Droplet Precautions
  • Salmonella: Contact Precautions
  • Shigella: Contact Precautions
  • The common cold: Droplet Precautions
  • Tuberculosis: Airborne Precautions
  • Whooping cough: Droplet Precautions
• Principles of Surgical Asepsis:

  • All objects used in a sterile field must be sterile
  • A sterile object becomes non-sterile when touched by a non-sterile object
  • Items below the waist level, or items held below waist level, are considered non-sterile
  • Sterile fields must always be kept in sight
• Principles of Surgical Asepsis (cont.):

  • When opening sterile equipment and adding supplies to a sterile field, take care to avoid contamination
  • Any puncture, moisture, or tear that passes through a sterile barrier must be considered contaminated
  • Once a sterile field is set up, the border of one inch at the edge of the sterile drape is considered non-sterile
  • If there is any doubt about the sterility of an object, it is considered non-sterile
• Isolation is the process of separating an individual with an infectious disease from the rest of the healthy population to prevent the spread of infection
• For patients on Airborne Precautions, single rooms are always indicated and preferred
• Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms (AIIR) are equipped with special air handling and ventilation systems under negative pressure
• To prevent the spread of infection at the community level, proper health education on the sources and transmission of infection is important
• Sanitation techniques such as water purification, proper garbage disposal, sewage disposal, and improving health practices are essential for preventing infection in the community
• Vaccination is a crucial measure for preventing the spread of infectious diseases
• Home Care techniques effective for respiratory infections:

  • Proper hand hygiene
  • Use of masks for those exposed
  • Disinfection of surfaces
  • Proper ventilation
• Types of asepsis in nursing procedures:

  • Feeding a patient: Medical Asepsis
  • Performing insertion of urine catheters: Surgical Asepsis
  • Assisting in invasive surgical operations: Surgical Asepsis
  • Handling waste: Medical Asepsis
  • Draining a urine bag: Medical Asepsis
  • Performing a sterile dressing change: Surgical Asepsis
  • Changing bed linen: Medical Asepsis