infection control nightingale

infection control (nightingale/

BSN 206)

A patient was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. The patient has been drinking fruit juice and has increased his intake of fluids but has failed to take his antibiotic as prescribed because it caused gastric upset. Three days later, the patient presents to the clinic with fever, malaise, nausea, and vomiting. What might you suspect?The patient may now have a systemic infection.

• The patient is displaying generalized symptoms that indicate a systemic

infection. Symptoms of a localized infection such as the urinary tract may include pain, burning from edematous membranes, and frequency of urination. Because the patient failed to be treated as prescribed, you might suspect that the patient's urinary tract infection has ascended to the kidney, producing more systemic symptoms of infection. Gastrointestinal (GI) disturbance may be a side effect of the antibiotic. An allergic response would be more likely suspected if the patient developed a rash, hives, urticaria, or difficulty breathing.The nurse is preparing to insert a urinary catheter. To perform this procedure, the

nurse will use:

Surgical asepsis (sterile technique).

• Inserting a urinary catheter requires sterile technique (surgical asepsis) to prevent

the introduction of any microorganisms into the urinary bladder during the procedure. Medical asepsis (clean technique) is used to reduce the number or transmission of microorganisms and includes hand hygiene, wearing clean disposable gloves, etc. Droplet precautions are a type of standard precaution in which the recommended barrier method includes the use of a mask. Standard precautions refer to wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when there is potential contact with blood or body fluids. It does not specifically warrant sterile technique.The nurse is working in a busy emergency room. On entering station 1, the nurse dons a pair of clean disposable gloves. The nurse sees that the patient has a gunshot wound to the chest and is concerned there may be splattering of infectious materials. The nurse applies goggles, a mask, and a gown. What is this called? 1 / 2

Following standard precautions.

• The nurse is demonstrating the use of standard precautions. Standard precautions

are used to protect the nurse from potential contact with blood and body fluids.Because there is a risk of being splattered with infectious materials, the nurse should use gloves, mask, eye protection, and a gown. Standard precautions should become a routine part of her practice and thus be observed in every patient encounter. Medical asepsis (or clean technique), includes procedures used to reduce the number of and prevent the spread of microorganisms. Surgical asepsis (or sterile technique) includes procedures used to eliminate all microorganisms from an area. Health care-acquired infections are those that develop as a result of a stay or visit in a health care facility and that were absent at the time of admission.A nurse assists a patient with a Foley catheter to ambulate down the hall. The nurse holds the catheter bag below the level of the patient s bladder. What link in the chain of infection is the nurse breaking by doing so?Portal of entry.

• By not allowing the urine from the bedside drainage bag to reenter the bladder,

the nurse is breaking the chain of infection at the portal of entry. Emptying the bedside drainage bag may be an example of controlling the reservoir. Host susceptibility has to do with issues such as age, nutritional status, medical treatments, immunizations, and so on.The nurse manager is reviewing the use of standard precautions with the staff.Which of the following should be included in the review? (Select all that apply.) Standard precautions are used to protect you from potential contact with blood and body fluids.Standard precautions should be observed in every patient encounter.

• Standard precautions are used to protect you from potential contact with blood

and body fluids and should be observed in every patient encounter. Besides gloving, standard precautions include the use of masks, eye protection, and gowns when there is a risk of being splattered with infectious materials. Surgical asepsis (sterile technique) requires the use of sterile gloves. Clean gloves may be worn when following standard precautions. Any patient may be a source of infection and should be treated as such rather than waiting until a pathogen is identified.

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