Reference no: EM133519895 , Length: word count:1700
Comply with infection prevention and control policies and procedures
Part A - Questions
Question 1 List seven incidences hand hygiene is required in a healthcare facility.
Question 2 List the six (6) steps involved in a routine hand wash.
Question 3 Give an example of two (2) steps involved in waterless hand hygiene.
Question 4 What is the process for a pre-surgical hand wash?
Question 5 When should hands be washed with soap and water rather than alcohol-based hand rub?
Question 6 How can a healthcare worker protect their skin from the effects of handwashing?
Question 7 How should a healthcare worker care for their fingernails?
Question 8 Should jewellery be worn when providing clinical care? • Yes • No
Explain your response.
Question 9 State two guidelines for the use of gloves in a healthcare facility.
Question 10 When should a healthcare worker wear a gown or waterproof apron?
Question 11 Can prescription eyeglasses be worn in place of protective glasses?
• Yes • No(tick your answer)
Explain your response.
Question 12 List four situations where the wearing of a mask is required.
Question 13 List three elements that need to be contained in a cleaningschedule.
Question 14 All work surfaces need to be cleaned to prevent the spread of infection. What cleaning needs to be completed before wiping with a pH neutral cleaning solution?
Question 15 List the five elements of the procedure for handling, transporting and processing linen that will assist in the control of infection.
Question 16 List the three paths of transmission for infection to spread.
Question 17 Explain what is meant by ‘the chain of infection'.
Question 18 List the five main types of infectious agents.
Question 19 Microorganisms are spread through direct contact, aerosols and penetrating injury. Explain what each mode of transmission is and give one example for each.
Question 20 What is meant by the term ‘susceptible host'?
Question 21 Explain each of the following methods used to clean equipment to prevent the spread of infection.
Question 22 Explain what is meant by ‘infection'.
Question 23 Explain the terms colonisation and disease.
Question 24 a) Give an example of a fungal infection
b) Explain how it is spread.
Question 25 a) Explain what a virus is
b) Give an example of how it can be spread.
Question 26 Explain the term ‘additional precautions'.
Question 27 List three (3) types of additional precautions used in healthcare facilities when standard precautions are not sufficient to contain infection.
Question 28 List three types of additional precautions that may be used to control the spread of infection for people who are carriers, in the incubation phase or those who are acutely ill.
Question 29 Define the terms hazard, risk and risk control.
Question 30 Proactive and reactive strategies are two methods for assessing the risk for the spread of infection through direct contact. Explain what each approach is.
Question 31 Explain how risk is assessed to determine the level of severity of the hazard.
Question 32 Give two examples that can leave people more susceptible to infection.
Question 33 List the six (6) hierarchy of controls that are used to prevent the risk of acquisition for infections.
Question 34 How does the immune system assist the process of fighting infections?
Question 35 Why are people with an open wound more at risk of acquiring an infection?
Question 36 Explain how medication and comorbidities can make a person more susceptible to infection.
Question 37 Why are the very young, new-born and elderly people more at risk of infection?
Question 38 List the precautions you would take to minimise the risk of a sharps injury.
Question 39 Why is the protocol after exposure to blood or other body fluids so important?
Question 40 What steps should a healthcare worker take if they have had a sharps injury?
Question 41 Why are signs useful for infection control in healthcare facilities?
Question 42 To manage a body fluid or blood spill safely organisations will have a blood spill kit. What should a spill kit contain?
Question 43 List two (2) infections that can be spread via airborne and droplet transmission and what precautions should be put into place to manage the spread of infection.
Question 44 How can the transmission of infection for aerosols and splatter be controlled in a healthcare facility?
Question 45 What cleaning process is used to kill bacteria and bacterial spores?
Question 46 Are all microorganisms harmful and considered pathogens?
Question 47 In respect of providing support to an older person, what is meant by a ‘risk'?
Part B - Case study questions
Read the case study, then answer the questions that follow.
Case study (questions 1-8)
Elaine has just been accepted as an enrolled nurse for the local hospital in her home town. Elaine is very excited about her new career path and is determined to provide the best service possible to the people she will be supporting. Elaine attended the orientation along with two other new employees, and found that Sally, a girl she went to high school with, was also attending. Orientation is to last for three full days. Elaine is surprised by the length of time this will take and a little disappointed not to have hands on work to commence. The timetable that is given to the new employees is very comprehensive and Elaine can see that the days will be fully occupied.
After the initial welcome, the first session was infection control. Elaine was introduced to the infection control officer and it was explained that the first contact should be through her immediate supervisor. The Infection Control officer went through the infection control policy and procedures with the new employees, and provided some simpler workflow charts to make the process easier. After morning tea break the topic was hand hygiene. Elaine found this information very interesting, especially that studies showed how hand-washing procedures reduced infection rates. All of the new employees were then shown the correct method of hand hygiene and assessed on their skills in this area. The UV light showed that Elaine had a good technique but that her hands, around the fingernails, were dry and would benefit from moisturising daily. Joyce had a cut on her finger and it was explained that all cuts need to be kept covered with an appropriate dressing such as a coloured Band Aid or waterproof dressing.
After lunch the program continued with the demonstration of the correct personal protective equipment to use (PPE) for different scenarios. Elaine and Joyce found how they looked quite amusing with gown, gloves and masks on. It was explained that hair needed to be kept off the face and neatly tied back and it was advised that personal jewellery was not to be worn. When Elaine and Sally saw the slides showing the bacteria present on rings and necklaces they were both shocked. The first day finished with the new employees being welcomed by the infection control nurse who handed out immunisation forms with the recommended immunisations for health care workers.
CS Question 1 List the four (4) different types of hand hygiene practices and give an example of when each would be used.
CS Question 2 Why was Joyce told to cover the cut with a coloured Band Aid?
CS Question 3 Why would Joyce and Sally need to wear gloves when providing personal support?
CS Question 4 When would Sally and Joyce be required to wear a mask?
CS Question 5 Explain the terms cleaning, disinfecting and sterilisation.
CS Question 6 How should linen be transported after use?
CS Question 7 Cleaning of equipment is one of the duties for Sally and Elaine. Why is surface cleaning of equipment important?
CS Question 8 What additional precautions should Elaine and Sally use if they need to provide care to a person with an infectious respiratory disease?
Read the case study, then answer the questions that follow.
Case study
On the second day of orientation Sally and Elaine were taken to a ward area and shown how to make a hospital bed. Both found this helpful as they had previously only used a Doona at home. At lunch Sally and Elaine talked about their experiences and Sally confided that she was struggling sometimes to understand the language being used. Elaine showed Sally how she had written down some words and abbreviations in her notebook to help her remember. After lunch Elaine and Sally returned to the ward area and were buddied up with John. John had been an enrolled nurse for the last three years and was keen to assist Elaine and Sally to settle into the ward. John showed Elaine and Sally the ‘steri' room and the pan room or ‘dirty' room and explained what was kept in each area and why items were kept separated. He tells them that they are have a responsibility to follow procedures for infection control and that they need to be aware of potential hazards that they will encounter when performing their job roles.
CS Question 9 What area of the ward did John explain where contaminated waste should be disposed of? Give a reason for why the area is kept separate.
CS Question 10 Elaine and Sally have taken on a role that includes hazard identification and risk control. Explain what a hazard is and list two areas of their job role that could have an infection risk and be considered hazardous for Elaine and Sally.
CS Question 11 What responsibilities do Elaine and Sally have for the control of infection in their work role?
CS Question 12 After identifying a hazard, what should Elaine and Sally do?
CS Question 13 If Elaine and Sally are unsure of what risk control methods to use for the identified hazard, what action should they take?
CS Question 14 What controls should Elaine and Sally implement if they find a workplace hazard?
CS Question 15 If a blood spill occurred on the ward floor from a patient's drain tube, what procedure should be implemented by Sally and Elaine?
Read the case study, then answer the questions that follow.
Case study
After six weeks Elaine was moved to the operating theatre as the enrolled nurse in this area was to commence their long service leave and needed to be replaced for the next six months. Elaine was excited to be going to this area but also a little apprehensive as she was aware that the work practices would be quite different and infection control would be critical. On entering the operating suite Elaine was given a thorough orientation and tour of the facility. Elaine found that she would be required to wear special clothing when she entered the operating suite and that different uniform or clothing requirements were needed for different areas. Elaine was told that she would commence work in the central sterilising department that was responsible for the cleaning of all the operating bundles and also the sterile stock for the ward areas. As part of her new role Elaine was given the opportunity to undertake the continuous development education program for theatre staff. Elaine was quite excited about this as one of the modules was on infection control and gave her credit towards her ongoing education as an enrolled nurse.
CS Question 16 In the theatre complex Elaine will be exposed to blood and sharps on a frequent basis. What should Elaine do if she has a sharps injury?
CS Question 17 In the central sterilising room of the operating department, all of the surgical instruments are brought in after use for cleaning and disinfecting. Before entry, what sign should be on the wall of the department?
CS Question 18 Why is there a separate decontamination area in a theatre complex?
CS Question 19 Can Elaine move equipment and medicaments from one area to the other in the operating suite?
CS Question 20 One of the duties Elaine has when cleaning instruments after use in the theatre is to remove all dirt, dust and body fluids. State the process and explain the cleaning of surgical instruments.
CS Question 21 Using the hierarchy of control state how splatter and aerosol transmission to materials and equipment can be minimised to prevent the spread of infection.