... The common characteristics of viruses: Viruses can only be seen with an electron microscope because they are so small. Only one or two particles are required to cause an infection. Viruses cannot survive for very long outside the body. Viruses cannot be treated with antibiotics but in some cases are treated with antiviral medication. The best defence against viruses is immunisation. Viruses can mutate to create new strains. Viruses can only multiply once they invade their host cell. The common characteristics of fungi: Fungi appears in the form of yeasts and moulds. Fungi infections can be localised or systemic. Some fungi are helpful. Fungi infections are treated with antifungal medication. The common characteristics of parasites: Parasites can live in or on the host body. Parasites survive by feeding from a host. Parasites are controlled and destroyed by antiparasitic medication. 1.2 Identify common illnesses and infections caused by Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi and Parasites. Gastroenteritis MRSA Impetigo Are caused by bacteria. Herpes HIV Mumps Are caused by viruses. CU254 Athletes foot. Thrush. Ringworm. Are caused by fungi Head lice. Scabies. Threadworm Are caused by parasites. 1.3 Describe what is meant by Infection and colonisation...
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...Approaches to Decision Making Stephanie Kert HCA/250 October 16, 2014 Cynthia Baxter Reduce Infection Control Long term care facilities have high infection rates due to patients being within close proximity of one another. Long term care residents are usually older in which due to their immune systems are usually more susceptible to highly infectious illnesses. Due to this increase, there are specialized precautions and procedures that are expected to be followed in order to control spreading. Infection Protocols Spreading of infections can cost healthcare facilities more money especially if the proper precautions were not used. The first step is to identify the problem, than a plan must be put together to figure out how to begin implementation. The problem is reducing infection in which administrators could begin by holding weekly meetings that serve as a refresher on infection prevention protocol. During these meetings all staff and administrators can analyze what areas need extra focus which tends to be forgotten to hectic schedules. (Robbins, DeCenzo, & Coulter, 2011). Also long term care facilities must keep their protocols and procedures reviewed and updated on a yearly basis in order to better reduce the number of infections. The director of nursing needs to be notified by the laboratory when any patient cultures come back positive that may represent a form of infection. Additionally, there needs to be specific “tracking of dates and times when infected patients...
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...Literature Review According to Wenzel et al. (1998), historically, infection control practices, in one form or another, have existed since surgeons such as Lister recognized the significance of bacteria in producing postoperative wound infection. In the early 1970s, the first infection control nurse was appointed in the U. K. This created the start of an era, the acknowledgment of infection control as a specialty in its own merit. In some countries, medical insurance companies pressured health services to decrease infection rates, and that led to an increase in infection control systems and programs. Countries with developed health care systems have taken action to the need to control hospital infections, reflected in escalating charges of hospitalization and increased length of stay in patients with illnesses, by establishing infection control procedures that span the gamut of hospital practice and clinical...
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...Infection and Waste Control in Practice Include: • The importance of infection control Infection control is important to reduce the spread of disease between both humans and animals. In a veterinary practice there is a large number of sick animals with weakened immune systems which means that there is a high risk of cross infection; the purpose of infection control is to reduce this risk to a minimum. • Why you should use personal protective equipment Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) is used to protect against exposure to infectious disease avoiding spreading the infection. Gloves should be used when handling any body fluids or waste, cleaning, dentistry, dirty laundry and lab samples. Gloves should be changed between animals and jobs...
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...Nosocomial infections refers to infections acquired during hospitalization, with symptoms usually occurring within forty-eight hours after admission. The origin of nosocomial infections can be attributed to the following: - Bacterial flora already present in the patient; - Microorganisms from the environment through transmission from: carriers colonized at admission, admitted to wards without undergoing surveillance, isolation or eradication of the germ(s); patients who have developed the infection but who have not been isolated;contact with contaminated objects and surfaces; medical personnel, usually via their hands; invasive procedures such as the installation or maintenance of a device(1). The current probability of infection in health-care facilities is relatively high, and the risk of death is not negligible. Data from the National Institute of Health (NIH) indicates that 4 million such infections occur in America every year, causing around 37,000 deaths. According to a study carried out by the Global Patient Safety Challenge: Clean Care Is Safer Care, at any one time more than 1.4 million people in the world are suffering from nosocomial infections. In developed countries, there is an incidence of 5%–10% in the total number of inpatients. Hospital infections are also a major economic challenge for public health-care systems due to the impact they have upon health-care costs(2). For example, infection by MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) prolongs...
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...Infection Control Guide Ryland Gallagher Illinois State University, Summer 2016 2 Infection Control Guide When implementing infection control, it is necessary to have an adequate background of how infection is transmitted. Furthermore, it is critical for an audiologist to identify key clinical situations in which infection is likely, warranting the need of appropriate preventative measures. Information and procedures pertaining to many of the components of infection control can be found within this guide. Transmission of Pathogens There are three ways in which pathogenic agents can be transferred to an unaffected person. These include direct contact, indirect contact, or fluid transmission....
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...Prevention and Control of Nosocomial Infections A Nosocomial Infection is a very distinct infection that occurs in hospital environments. The work nosocomial literally means – of or relating to a hospital. Also known as hospital-acquired infections (or HAI) these occur in unsanitary or unclean hospital environments and can be contracted by hospital staff, hospital patients and visitors. Infections can be generally described as bacterial or fungal. Nosocomial infections will often cause urinary tract infections, and pneumonia among other things depending on the patient’s reaction to the infection. Many elements go into the cause and spread of nosocomial infections and, according to epidemiologic research, occur on an international level affecting people in the United States and abroad. Nosocomial infections may arise due to a lack of sterilization, improper or negligent procedures or simply accidental contraction. Prevention of nosocomial infection has steadily with the progress of modern medicine. Currently, there are specialists who examine the history, spread and prevention of nosocomial infections as it immediately affects the well-being of all parties involved and can be hazardous to the professional status of a facility. ...
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...Case Study Name: Marissa D. Jose Instructor: Dr. Linda Joyce Gunn, CPHRM Course title: AFT2 Accreditation Audit Name of institution: Western Governor University Current Compliance Status for Infection Prevention and Control 1. Commission Standard: Infection Investigation/Identification Recently the hospital implements preventing spread of Infection. The hospital has a successful framework for controlling the spread of infection and/or outbreaks among patients/clients, employees, physician, volunteers, students, and visitors. Identification and managing infections at the time of a client’s admission to the hospital and throughout their stay are the critical aspects of the infection prevention and control program, in addition to subsequent renowned infection control practices while providing care. In the hospital’s admission process, there are numerous ways to investigate, control, and prevent infections in the hospital setting, decides what procedures, such as isolation, should be applied to an individual client; and maintains a record of incidents and corrective actions related to infections. This process includes taking the patient’s history of infection, previous hospitalization, current diagnosis, and presence of draining wound, among others. During the health screening process, the hospital also ensures that the patient gets help from the right staff. Immediately the patient checks into the Nightingale...
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...Performance Assessment Task Infection control is the discipline concerned with preventing nosocomial or healthcare-associated infection, a practical (rather than academic) sub-discipline of epidemiology. It is an essential, though often under recognized and under supported, part of the infrastructure of health care. Infection control and hospital epidemiology are akin to public health practice, practiced within the confines of a particular health-care delivery system rather than directed at society as a whole. Infection control addresses factors related to the spread of infections within the health-care setting (whether patient-to-patient, from patients to staff and from staff to patients, or among-staff), including prevention (via hand hygiene/hand washing, cleaning/disinfection/sterilization, vaccination, surveillance), monitoring/investigation of demonstrated or suspected spread of infection within a particular health-care setting (surveillance and outbreak investigation), and management (interruption of outbreaks). It is on this basis that the common title being adopted within health care is "Infection Prevention & Control." (Infection control. (2013, November 01). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infection_control) I. Economics A. Fact: In 2002, one in every 20 hospitalized patients developed a healthcare-associated infection (HAI), making HAIs one of the leading causes of death and illness in the U.S., and costing up to...
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...Following correct infection control procedures in care homes is critical. Not only are infections spread easily in contained environments such as nursing care homes, or hospitals, or schools, but care home residents are often susceptible to infections. That's because they are very often elderly, suffering from medical conditions that may affect their immunity, they may have open wounds from surgery, be fed via tube or have an IV. All of which present potential sites for infection. If two or more people (residents or staff) in the same care home get the same infection, then it is classified as an outbreak. As such, all nursing care staff have the responsibility to observe correct infection control procedure at all times. Responsibility of Care Home Staff All care home staff have a responsibility to contribute towards effective infection control in the care home setting. This means observing infection control procedures and protecting your own health, as well as that of your residents. If you’re caring for sick or vulnerable residents and you come to work unwell, you could potentially pass on your illness to those you’re caring for. If you are unwell, it is best to stay away from work until well after your symptoms have cleared. You may still be able to infect others even if you no longer feel unwell. Hand Hygiene Infections are easily transmitted between people if poor hand hygiene is observed. Even if your hands look clean, they could still be covered in bacteria and other...
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...Reflection of my Observation visit For my Observational visit I attended K W RCF. For the last six years I have been working in a aged care setting which includes assisting the elderly in their own home. During my visit to K W I concentrated on observing in particular Infection control practices within the care facility, as I am currently working within the community area, and the practices we use are completely different, due to lack readily available equipment. At the entry to the facility I noticed that there were posters on the entry doors requesting that anyone displaying symptoms of cold and flu, not enter the facility. I also noted that located around the entry were several micro-shield dispensers, and posters requesting visitors to please sanitize their hands on entry and exit of the facility. As it states in Stuart, Cheng, Marshall, and Ferguson (2009) “The primary goal of infection control is to protect health care workers (HCWs), other patients and community members from acquiring a potentially serious disease.” This is a practice I was already aware of, and my observation visit just reinforced the practice. The Clinical nurse educator for the company took our group for a tour of the facility, where she pointed out several features including the facility’s wellness centre, where she explained that a local Co-op doctor’s service practiced weekly, for staff and residents of the facility. We were then informed about the annual program for providing flu...
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...Infection control is very important to minimise cross infection of Micro-organisms. Many micro-organisms are good for us and are essential for life, such as bacteria in the intestine which helps break down food waste matter. However, when a micro-organism is capable of doing harm it is said to be pathogenic. There are four main micro -organisms that cause disease, these include, Viruses, Bacteria, Fungi, and Protozoa. Personal Protective Equipment (P.P.E) can act as a barrier to protect you against infectious material. P.P.E is also useful to protect not only you but also the recipient, especially if they have an immunity suppressed condition. P.P.E includes Gloves, Gowns, Aprons, Masks, Shoe covers and Eye goggles. Gloves should be used when handling and bodily fluids, Gowns and Aprons should be used when, for example cleaning a dog with an infectious disease, Masks and eye protection is useful during dentistry as you are using an instrument which excretes water under high pressure. Disposable shoe covers may be worn if you are cleaning up a contaminated spillage, or if you are working in an isolation...
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...Infection Control Measures in Dental Office 1- Immunization: Vaccination against: Hepatitis B, Influenza, MMR, Varicella (chickenpox), Tetanus and diphtheria. 2- Patient Screening: Complete medical history from the patient, and should be updated and stamp dated during recall visits. \ 3- Hand Hygiene: * Hand washing, hand antisepsis, or surgical hand antisepsis, substantially reduces potential pathogens on the hands and is considered the single most critical measure for reducing the risk of transmitting organisms. * For routine dental examinations and nonsurgical procedures, hand washing and hand antisepsis is achieved by using either a plain or antimicrobial soap + water (15 sec.). If the hands are not visibly soiled, an alcohol-based hand rub is adequate (until it dries~15 sec). It should be done: * Before glove placement and after glove removal. * After barehanded touching of infected objects. * Before leaving the dental office. * When visibly soiled. * After removing gloves that are torn, cut, or punctured. * For surgical procedures, surgical hand antisepsis with an antimicrobial soap (2-6 min.) or alcohol hand rub with persistent activity should be used. * Antimicrobical soap include: (chlorhexidine, iodine and iodophors and triclosan) * Fingernails should be unpolished, short enough to allow DHCP to thoroughly clean underneath them and prevent glove tears. * All...
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...PR ACTICE STAndARd Infection Prevention and Control Table of Contents Introduction Standard Statements Application of evidence-based measures Application of professional judgment Risk reduction Communication Maintaining a Quality Practice Setting Case Scenarios Appendix Glossary of Clinical Terms References 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 8 9 11 12 OuR MISSIOn is to protect the public’s right to quality nursing services by providing leadership to the nursing profession in self-regulation. OuR vISIOn is excellence in nursing practice everywhere in Ontario. Infection Prevention and Control ISBN 1-897074-32-8 Pub. No. 41002 Copyright © College of Nurses of Ontario, 2009. Commercial or for-profit redistribution of this document in part or in whole is prohibited except with the written consent of CNO. This document may be reproduced in part or in whole for personal or educational use without permission, provided that: • Due diligence is exercised in ensuring the accuracy of the materials reproduced; • CNO is identified as the source; and • The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of, CNO. First published February 1996 as Infection Control Guidelines (ISBN 1-894557-33-6) Reprinted January 2000, October 2000, revised for Web June 2003, reprinted January 2004 as Infection Control (ISBN 1-894557-44-1) Revised June 2004, December 2005. Reprinted May 2008 (ISBN 1-897074-32-8)...
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...Infection control policy and procedures of “facility x” By Sharyn Royal #201006683 In this report I will discuss the policy and procedures at a nursing home. I will be specifically looking at infection control during the course of a medication round. The information contained in this report was gathered in a private nursing home over 2 weeks that for the sake of this essay, be called “facility x” During the medication round there is much time for resident contact, this can be in the form of physical reassurance, assisting with cups, or direct physical contact when applying lotions or eye drops. Any infectious agent transmitted by the contact or droplet route can potentially be transmitted during the medication round. Hand hygiene is widely acknowledged to be the single most important activity for reducing the spread of infection. Facility X states in its “policy and procedures” that it follows the concept of the ‘5 moments for hand hygiene’ developed by the World Health Organization. This includes washing hands: 1 Before touching a patient, 2 Before a procedure, 3 After a procedure, 4 After touching a patient, 5 After touching patient’s surroundings/belongings These 5 times are mostly adhered to in facility x, except for step 5, washing hands after touching a patients surroundings. This was often overlooked, possibly because of the lack of association between the items in the room and part laziness. At facility x, the use of suitable alcohol based hand rub...
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