Melissa Lomiguen NUR 215 Asepsis and Infection Control Lab Questions [Note: Discussing lab questions prior

to each lab will help to reinforce reading and content learned in lecture. This also provides the student with an opportunity to use and to practice medical terminology. It is very important to come prepared to lab and ready to answer questions and to participate in faculty led group discussion.] 1. What is pathogenicity? Pathogenicity is the ability to produce a disease. 2. What is the name of the major national organization in the US that oversees communicable disease? On an international level? At the local level? At the international level World Health organization (WHO). At the national level Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At the local level the Department of Public Health (DPH) 3. What is medical aspesis? Example? Medical asepsis is the practice of confining organisms, limiting their ability to spread. An example of which would be wearing clean gloves when treating a patient to prevent the spread of organisms. 4. What is surgical asepsis? Example? Surgical asepsis, or sterile technique, is when an area is completely free of microorganisms. An example would be when inserting a foley catheter. 5. What is sepsis? Sepsis is an infection. 6. What types of microorganisms cause infections? (four of them) Bacteria transported through aia, water, food, soil, body fluids, and objects. Viruses enter living things to reproduce. Fungi yeasts or molds. Parasites live off of other organisms 7. What is a local infection? Symptoms? A local infection is contained to specific part of the body. Some symptoms of a local infection include localized swelling, redness, and heat, and pain with touch or movement. 8. What is a systemic infection? Symptoms? A systemic infection is one that has spread throughout the body. Some symptoms include fever, weakness, loss of energy, enlargement of the lymph nodes.

9. What is a nosocomial infection? Who is affected? Why do we care? A nosocomial infection is one that is acquired within a healthcare facility. Patients and healthcare workers can both be affected. As nurses we should care about nosocomial infections since it adds to a patients length of stay, increases healthcare costs, and can result in disability, discomfort, or even death. 10. What is an iatrogenic infection? Example? An iatrogenic infection is an infection caused directly by a procedure in the health care setting, such as a catherization. 11. What is vehicle borne transmission? Transportation of an infectious agent to a host via inanimate objects such as toys, dressings, food, blood. 12. What is vector borne transmission? Transportation of an infectious agent to a host via an animal or insect. 13. What causes a susceptible host? One that is at risk for infection. 14. What is exudate? Describe: serous; purulent, sanguineous Drainage from a wound. Serous clear; Purulent pus; sanguineous bloody. 15. What factors increase susceptibility to infection? Age (very young or very old), those on chemotherapy treatment, those with a chronic illness, those with immunodeficiency and those on anti-rejection medications. 16. How long does the WHO recommend we wash our hands? 20 seconds 17. When using alcohol based (non soap and water) foams or gels, how long should we rub our hands together? Until the product is dry, about 20-30 seconds. 18. The CDC recommends antimicrobial hand cleaning agents in the following four situations. They are: Where there are known multiple resistant bacteria, before invasive procedures, in special care units, and before caring for severely immunocompromised patients 19. Which position are the hands and arms held in when washing hands? Why? How does this change when hand washing (scrubbing) before performing sterile techniques? Hands should be lower than the elbows so that water flows from the arms to fingertips, this allows water to flow from the least contaminated to the most

contaminated area. However, before sterile techniques, arms should be kept above waist height 20. What are the supporting defenses of a susceptible host? Proper hygiene, balanced diet, adequate fluid intake, sleep, up-to-dateimmunizations, and reduced stress. 21. What is isolation? When do we implement this practice? Isolation is the practice of placing a patient on specific measures to prevent the spread of infection, such as a private room, or the use of PPE. It can be implemented based on category (contact, strict, respiratory, tuberculosis, enteric, blood/body fluid, and secretion/drainage) or based on the disease. 22. What are blood borne pathogens? How do we prevent the spread of these organisms? Blood borne pathogens are organisms that are present in the blood. To prevent the spread of these organisms, nurses should follow standard precautions when in contact with blood. 23. What is PPE? PPE is Personal Protective Equipment 24. What order to they go on? Gown Mask Goggles Gloves 25. What order are they removed? Gloves Goggles Gown Masks