ASEPSIS
Six Components in the infectious
cycle
Infectious Agent
 Bacteria
 Categorized acc to shape
 Spherical (cocci)
 Rod shaped (bacilli)
 Corkscrew (spirochetes)
 Gram Positive-thick wall that resists decolonization and are
stained violet
 Gram Negative chemically more complex cell walls and
can be decolonized by alcohol
 Important in determining antibiotics
Antibiotics are either…
 Effective against only gram positive
organisms or
 Broad spectrum and can be effective with
a # of microorganisms
Bacteria
 Aerobic: require O2 to live and grow
 Anaerobic can live without O2
VIRUS
 Smallest of all
organisms
 Causes many
infections including
AIDS, and the
common cold
FUNGI
 Plant like organism (mold and yeast) that
can also cause infection.
 Present in soil, air and water.
 Many are resistant to TX
Organisms
 Potential to cause disease depends on
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# or organism
Virulence of the organism
Competence of persons immune system
Length of intimacy of the contact
Normal flora – microorganism that
commonly inhabits various body sites
 Opportunistic – Bacteria that may potentially
be harmful Escherichia coli stool not in urine
RESEVOIR
 The natural habitat of the organism=m
 Possible reservoir – human, animals,
food , water, mile, inanimate objects
 Example..
 Humans –HIV
 Animals – rabies
 Soil – gas gangrene, tetanus
PORTAL OF EXIT
 The exit from the reservoir.
 Point of escape for the organism
 Example – respiratory tract, GI, GU, Skin
breaks, blood, tissue
MEANS OF TRANMISSION
 DIRECT CONTACT
 INDIRECT CONTACT
 VEHICLES-BLOOD, FOOD, WATER,
INANIMATE OBJECTS
 VECTORS – NON HUMANMOSQUITOS, TICKS
 AIRBORNE ROUTE- BY NUCLEICOUGHING, SNEEZING
PORTAL OF ENTRY
 May be the same as the portal of exit
from the prior reservoir
 Point where it enters the host
SUSEPTIBLE HOST
 ACCEPTS THE ORGANISM
 SUSCEPTIBILITY – HOW
SUSCEPTIBLE IS THE HOST TO THE
ORGANISM
Stages of Infections
 Incubation-the interval between the invasion of
the body by the pathogen & the appearance of
S/S
 Prodromal Stage – most infectious – early S/S
of the disease but are vague and non specific
 Full Stage Illness – the presence of specific
S/S
 Convalescent Period – recovery for the
infection S/S disappear
Body’s Defense Against
Infection
 Inflammatory Response-protective mechanism
that eliminates the invading pathogen
 Immune response-involves specific reaction in
the body as it responds to an invading foreign
protein
 antigen-foreign material body initiate s an immune
response
 Antibody-body produces antibody in response to
antigen
Factors that affect the
risk of infection
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Intact skin and mucous membranes
Normal ph of gastric and GU
WBC
Age, sex, hereditary factors
Immunization
Fatigue
Nutrition
Preexisting illnesses
Previous or current TX
Stress
Invasive devices
Assessing
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Immunization status
Previous or recurring infections
Nonverbal cues
Hx of current disease process
labs
Diagnosing
 High risk for infection
 Social Isolation
 Altered oral mucous membrane
Planning
 Expected Outcomes
Implementing
 Medical Asepsis- clean techniquereduces the # of pathogens
 Surgical Asepsis – Sterile technique –
practices used to render and keep
objects and areas free from organisms
 Breaking the chain of infection is the
nurses responsibility
Preventing Nosocomial
Infections
 Nosocomial – hospital acquired
 Exogenous infections –causative organism is
acquired from other people
 Endogenous infections – the causative organism
comes form microbial life the person himself harbors
 Iatrogenic – occurs as a result of a TX or diagnostic
procedure.
 Most hospital acquired infection from bacteria
 E-coli, staph aureus, strep
Strategies to protect the
patient
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Infection control committees
Written infection prevention practices
Hand washing
Healthy lifestyles
Hand washing
 2 types of bacteria on hands
 Transient bacteria
 Resident bacteria
Cleaning Agents
 Antiseptic – inhibits the growth of
bacteria
 Antibacterial – kill bacteria or suppresses
their growth AKA -antimicrobial
Sterilization and
Disinfection
 Disinfection – destroys all pathogenic
organism except spore
 Sterilization – The process by which all
microorganisms including spores are
destroyed
Factors in Selecting
Method
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Nature of Organism
Number
Type of equipment
Intended use of equipment
Available means of sterilization
Universal Precautions
 Recommended HCW’s to use gloves,
gowns, mask, and protective eyewear
when exposure to blood or body fluids is
likely and to consider that all clients might
be potentially infected.
 Blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and
possibly breast mil, cerebrospinal fluid,
synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal
fluid, pericardial fluid, amniotic fluid.
Do not include
 Feces, nasal secretions, sputum, sweat,
tears, urine, and vomitus, unless they
contain visible blood
OSHA
 Guidelines establishes minimum health
safety standards for workers
 1991 issued regulations for use of universal
precautions in all situations and settings in
which occupational exposures to blood and
other potentially infectious material made
violations punishable with severe fines.
 Requires employers to offer HBV vaccines
free of charge
Body Substance
Precautions
 This is an extension
 Considers all body fluids potentially infected
 Stop sign alert
Current CDC
recommendations
 Standard precautions – precautions used in the
care of all hospitalized persons. Applies to
blood, all body fluids, secretions and excretions
except sweat, nonintact skin, and mucous
membranes
 Transmission based precautions – precautions
used in addition to standard precautions for
clients in hospitals with suspected infection
with pathogens that can be transmitted by
airborne droplet or contact routes
Meeting Patient Needs
 Sensory Deprivation
 Loss of self esteem