Infection Prevention and Control
Core concepts
Infection control includes standard precautions for all patients, transmission-based precautions (contact, droplet, airborne), hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, sterilization and disinfection levels, and surveillance for healthcare-associated infections. Know the chain of infection and where to break it. Understand isolation requirements for common organisms and the correct sequence for donning and doffing PPE.
Traps in questions
Questions often test whether you apply standard precautions universally rather than only for diagnosed infections. Another trap is confusing droplet and airborne precautions: influenza and pertussis are droplet; tuberculosis, measles, and varicella are airborne. Watch for questions that ask for the first action when a needlestick occurs: wash the site, report, and follow post-exposure protocols.
Worked example
A patient with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis is admitted. Rule of thumb: place in an airborne infection isolation room, use an N95 respirator, and keep the door closed. Do not rely on a surgical mask or a curtained bed.
Study strategy
Match each organism to its precaution type and the PPE required, and review post-exposure steps for bloodborne pathogens.