Infection Control

Wanda Opland
Health Careers Instructor
JAMES VALLEY VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL CENTER

Objectives

Define, pronounce, and spell the key terms

Differentiate between antisepsis, disinfection,
and sterilization
Demonstrate aseptic hand washing
Demonstrate how to don and remove an isolation
mask, gloves, and gown
Identify the five ways microorganisms are spread
of infection

 Define OSHA and explain the agencys role in

safety
List conditions which enhance growth of
microorganisms

Microorganisms
Organisms which can

only be seen by a
microscope
To Live

Warm temperature
moisture
darkness

Anaerobic

microorganisms which live in an

environment without oxygen
Aerobic

microorganisms which needs

oxygen to live

Nonpathogenic

a microorganism that does not

cause disease
Pathogenic

a microorganism which is
disease producing

Pathogenic Microorganisms
Bacteria
can be treated with antibiotics
Viruses
smaller than bacteria
cannot be treated with bacteria

Pathogenic Microorganisms
Protozoa
larger than virus, grow within host cell
Fungi
low form of plant life, includes mold &
yeast

Pathogen and disease

Toxins

some microorganisms produce

poisons (toxins) that affect the
body

How Microorganisms Spread

Direct Contact
transmitted directly from one person to
another
Indirect contact
transferred from one object to another

How Microorganisms Spread

Airborne
carried in the air
Oral route
enters body through water, food dirty hands
Insects and Pests
picked up on insects and pests and transferred

Signs and Symptoms

Generalized
involves the entire
body

Localized
involves a single
site

Asepsis

Asepsis
free from or keeping away disease producing
microorganisms

Medical Asepsis
to destroy the environment that allows pathogens to
live, breed, and spread

Aseptic technique
methods used to make the environment, worker, and
as germ free as possible

Aseptic Techniques to prevent

spread of disease

Cross infection
caused by infecting the patient with a new
microorganism from another patient or health
care worker
Reinfection
infection with the same microorganism that
caused the original illness

Aseptic Techniques to prevent

spread of disease

Self-innoculation
infection by the patients own organisms
An illness passing from the patient to the health
care worker or from worker to patient

Aseptic Technique
Employees to be neat and clean
Proper handling of all equipment
Use sterile procedure when necessary

Aseptic Technique

Use proper cleaning solutions

Bacteriostatic solutions: slow or stops the
growth of microorganisms
Bactericidal solutions: Kills microorganisms

Hand washing
Universal precautions

Universal Precautions

Precautions that protect the patient/client, coworkers, and community from infection
Universal Precautions

Universal Precautions

Universal Precautions Techniques

Wear gloves when
touching blood
touching mucous membranes
performing veinipuncture
touching body fluids of any kind

 Body Fluids
vaginal fluids or semen
cerebrospinal fluid
pleural fluid (fluid around lung)
pericardial fluid (fluid around heart)
synovial fluid (fluid in the joints)
amniotic fluid (fluid around the fetus)
placenta tissue
saliva with blood in it

Wash hands after glove removal

Protect clothing with apron or gown when
splashing of blood or body fluids is possible
Discard needles or other sharps in punctureresistant container
Do not recap needles or work with needles before
disposal
Waste and soild linen must be handled with care

Controlling the spread of

infections

Sterilize
make free from all living organisms

Disinfection
process of freeing from microorganisms by physical or
chemical means

Autoclaves
sterilizers which use steam underpressure to kill all
organisms

Isolation Precautions

Isolation
condition of having limited contact with others

Protective Isolation
guarding workers and visitors from danger

Reverse Isolation
guarding the patient from danger

Types of Isolation

Respiratory Isolation
protection from airborne droplets

Skin and wound Isolation

protection from open wounds, skin drainage

Types of Isolation

Enteric Isolation
solid body wastes

Strict Isolation
complete protection

Blood and body fluids