This document discusses infection control in healthcare settings. It identifies the causes of infection as microbes like viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi. These pathogens must find a portal of entry into the body, interfere with normal processes, and find an exit to spread. Risk of infection depends on factors like health status, immunizations, age, and behaviors. Infection control seeks to break the chain of infection by preventing exposure or transmission at reservoirs, portals of exit/entry, or transmission routes. Key methods include aseptic techniques like hand hygiene and PPE, as well as standard precautions applied to all patients. Sterile techniques are more rigorous and required for invasive procedures.

2. GOALS
Identify the causes, risks, and prevention methods of infection disease in
the health care setting.

3. CAUSES OF INFECTION.
Contagious Illness is caused by one of several types of microbes or even
things like body lice.
 Virus, Bacteria, Protozoa, Fungus
Microbes that cause disease are called pathogens. Primarily we worry
about bacteria and viruses.
There are good microbes, too. Most are harmless to humans.

5. HOW MICROBES CAUSE ILLNESS
They must first find a portal of entry into the body (host).
 Depends on Mode of Transmission (food, water, air, body fluids, etc.)
Microbes then interfere with the normal body processes.
 May affect tissues in one system, or several.
 Illicit an immune response.
Must find portal of exit to another host.
 See Mode of Transmission

6. RISK OF INFECTION
Depends on more than exposure.
 Those with an increased risk:
 Compromised Health or Immune System
 Lack of antibodies (immunizations or natural)
 Children and Elderly
 High Risk Behavior (IV drug use, unprotected sex)

7. BREAKING THE CHAIN OF INFECTION
What in infection control is all about.
 Seeks to prevent either exposure or transmission by acting at one of the
following.
 Reservoir
 Portal of Exit
 Mode of Transmission
 Portal of Entry

8. STEP 1: ASEPSIS
Practicing techniques that result in minimal microbe transmission.
 Hand washing (review appropriate technique), and Respiratory Hygiene
 PPE
 Using appropriate antiseptics and disinfectants on patients and supplies.

9. SOAP OR SANITIZER?
Soap (regular, non-antibacterial) and water are better than hand sanitizer.
 Why?
 Hand Sanitizer does not kill all types of microbes equally well and it doesn’t
remove anything rom the hands.
 Hand sanitizer may cause skin dryness and kill good bacteria.
 Soap and water (plus friction used while washing) actually remove the
microbes from your skin, even it it can’t kill them.
 Use hand sanitizer infrequently, and mostly only when soap and water are
unavailable.

10. STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
Precautions applies to all patients.
 We assume all patients, and their blood/body fluids are infectious.
 Standard precautions protect us and other patients.
Standard Precautions Include:
 Appropriate PPE for the task.
 Sharps safety
 Hand Hygiene
 Appropriate disposal, storage and cleaning of supplies.

11. STERILE VS ASEPSIS
Sterile is more than aseptic.
 Depends on the removal of ALL microbes (not just harmful)
 Necessary for procedures that disturb sterile body cavities (surgery, access of a
central line, some wound care, catheterizing, other procedures)
 Sterile Field setup requires sterile gloves (maybe two pairs), other PPE,
specially prepared supply trays, disinfectants for patient, etc.

12. RULES THAT APPLY TO STERILE PROCEDURES
Things and fields that are sterile are usually either white or blue.
There should be a designated place for “dirty” supplies and waste so that it
does not contaminate “clean” supplies.
It you must touch the patient, try to keep one had “clean” to access sterile
supplies, or have someone assist who can stay sterile.
Never short cut or cheat in sterile settings. If you contaminate something,
say so and get another one.

13. DONNING STERILE GLOVES
• Start with dominant
hand, tough only the
inside of the glove.
• Carefully slip each
finger into correct place
and pull down. Don’t
unroll cuff.
• Pick up the other glove
from the outside (reach
under the folded cuff
and carefully slip in
hand and fingers.
• Now you may adjust
the fingers as needed,
but do not tough wrists,
do not unroll cuffs.

14. WHAT OTHER MEASURES HELP WITH INFECTION
CONTROL?
Public Health Issues:
 Water and food supply regulations
 Vaccinations
 Free clinics and monitoring of infectious disease.
 General sanitation of public and private living space.
In other words, reasons we aren’t all dying from a plague all the time.