a-IPC flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Chain of infection links
- Six sequential links: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, susceptible host. Interrupting any single link prevents transmission.
- Standard precautions
- Infection control practices applied to every patient regardless of diagnosis, including hand hygiene, gloves, gown, and facial protection when exposure to blood or body fluids is anticipated.
- Airborne precautions
- Precautions for pathogens spread by small droplet nuclei that remain suspended in air, such as tuberculosis, measles, and varicella; require an N95 respirator and airborne infection isolation room.
- Droplet precautions
- Precautions for pathogens spread by large respiratory droplets traveling short distances, such as influenza and pertussis; require a surgical mask and spatial separation of about three feet.
- Contact precautions
- Precautions for pathogens spread by direct or indirect contact, such as MRSA and C. difficile; require gloves and gown, dedicated equipment, and often a private room.
- Alcohol rub limitation
- Alcohol-based hand rub does not reliably kill C. difficile spores or norovirus. Soap and water handwashing is required after caring for patients with these organisms.
- WHO 5 Moments
- Hand hygiene indications: before touching a patient, before an aseptic task, after body fluid exposure risk, after touching a patient, and after touching patient surroundings.
- Sterilization versus disinfection
- Sterilization destroys all microorganisms including bacterial spores. Disinfection reduces or eliminates pathogens on inanimate objects but may not eliminate spores depending on the level used.
- PPE removal order
- Remove gloves first, then goggles or face shield, then gown, then mask or respirator last. Perform hand hygiene immediately after removing all equipment.
- N95 fit testing
- Respirators must be fit-tested and seal-checked before use. Fit testing verifies a specific model and size matches the wearer's face.
- Negative pressure room
- A room where air pressure is lower than surrounding areas and air is exhausted or filtered, preventing airborne pathogens from escaping; used for tuberculosis, measles, and varicella.
- Bloodborne exposure first aid
- Wash the exposed site with soap and water without squeezing or scrubbing, report immediately, and obtain source and exposed-person testing for HIV, HBV, and HCV.
- Post-exposure prophylaxis
- Preventive treatment after exposure: HBV vaccine and immune globulin, antiretroviral therapy for HIV, and varicella-zoster immune globulin for varicella; not available for every pathogen.
- Cleaning before disinfection
- Visible organic material must be removed before disinfectant application because soil inactivates many disinfectants. Disinfectant must remain wet for the labeled contact time.
- Hand hygiene duration
- Alcohol-based hand rub requires enough product to cover all surfaces and rubbing until dry, typically 20 to 30 seconds; soap and water washing typically 40 to 60 seconds.
- Outbreak definition
- An increase in cases above the expected baseline for a defined population, place, and time, confirmed by comparing observed cases with expected rates.
- Attack rate formula
- Attack rate equals the number of new cases among exposed persons divided by the number exposed, multiplied by 100. Used in foodborne and point-source outbreak investigations.
- Incidence versus prevalence
- Incidence counts new cases arising during a time period. Prevalence counts all existing cases at a point in time or over a period, reflecting both new cases and duration.
- Device-day infection rate
- Device-associated infection rate equals the number of infections divided by the number of device-days, multiplied by 1,000. Examples include CLABSI and CAUTI rates.
- Surgical site infection rate
- SSI rate equals the number of surgical site infections divided by the number of operative procedures, multiplied by 100, stratified by procedure and risk index.
- C. difficile isolation duration
- Contact precautions for C. difficile are generally continued until diarrhea resolves, since spores persist and alcohol hand rub is ineffective; soap and water is required.
- Notifiable disease reporting
- Certain diagnoses must be reported to the local or state public health authority within the jurisdiction's required timeframe, often 24 hours for urgent conditions.
- Surveillance definition
- Ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data, with timely dissemination of results to those who need it for prevention and control.
- NNIS risk index
- A surgical site infection risk score of 0 to 3 based on three factors: operation lasting longer than the procedure's threshold, wound class, and ASA physical status score.
- Spore-forming disinfection
- C. difficile spores require sporicidal agents such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide. Routine quaternary ammonium compounds may not kill spores.
- Isolation signage content
- Signs outside the room list the required precautions, necessary personal protective equipment, and any instructions for visitors, placed before entry to prompt compliance.
- Antibiogram purpose
- A periodic summary of local antimicrobial susceptibility patterns used to guide empiric therapy and monitor resistance trends within a facility or region.
- Hand hygiene adherence measure
- Adherence equals observed compliant hand hygiene opportunities divided by total observed opportunities, multiplied by 100; direct observation is the reference method.
- Cohorting definition
- Placing patients colonized or infected with the same organism in the same room or unit to limit transmission, often used during outbreaks when private rooms are limited.
- Point prevalence survey
- A survey measuring the proportion of patients with a condition, such as a healthcare-associated infection, at a single specified time point across a facility.
- Sharps injury prevention
- Safety-engineered devices, immediate disposal in puncture-resistant containers, and never recapping needles reduce needlestick injuries and bloodborne pathogen transmission.
- Outbreak case definition
- A standard set of criteria for classifying persons as cases, specifying clinical features, time, place, and person, applied consistently to identify and count cases.