Miscellaneous
Diphtheria, chronic hepatitis B, tetanus, and rabies must all be reported to
the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System of the CDC.
Measures taken to reduce the number of microorganisms, such as handwashing and wearing examination gloves, that do not necessarily eliminate microorganisms; also called clean technique.
medical asepsis (med’i-kăl ā-sep’sis)
A needle that retracts inside the barrel of a syringe after it is activated.
retractable needle (rē-trak’tă-bĕl nē’dĕl)
Influenza, measles, whooping cough, and meningitis are examples of infectious diseases that can be transmitted through which of the following?
respiratory droplets
In general, the temperature range in degrees Fahrenheit that the autoclave must reach in order to sterilize a load of instruments?
250°–270°
A urinary tract infection that may be caused by long-term use of urinary catheters; the longer the catheter is in place, the greater the chance of infection.
catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI)
A device that uses pressurized steam to sterilize instruments and equipment.
autoclave
A single-use, disposable scalpel that has a sheath that can be slid over the blade and locked in position after use.
re-sheathing scalpel (rē-shēth’ing skalp’ĕl)
Classifications of SSIs are dependent on the ________
and ________ of the surgical wound.
Location and extent
Water used in the autoclave
Distilled
Bloodstream infections caused by the entry of infectious microorganisms into the bloodstream through a central line.
central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI)
A catheter placed in a large vein, usually in the neck, chest, or groin, that is used to give fluids or medications.
central line
A blood-drawing needle that has a blunt tip that slides forward through the needle past the sharp point to protect the user from needlestick injury.
self-blunting/blunt tip, blood-drawing needle
OSHA’s estimate of approximately how many needlestick injuries occur each year
800,000
An endoscope is a item that comes in contact with mucous membranes and nonintact skin and requires high-level disinfection so it is considered this type of item.
semi-critical
Infections acquired by a patient in a healthcare facility.
healthcare-associated infections (HAI)
Any procedure that requires entry into a body cavity or cutting into skin or mucous membranes.
invasive procedure
Features on injection, phlebotomy, and winged steel needles that provide protection from needlestick injury. They consist of a hinged or sliding sheath attached to the needle that can be activated with one hand, keeping the user’s hands behind the needle.
add-on safety features
Approximately what percent of patients will develop an infection at the surgical site?
3%
As a general rule, double-layer fabric or paper-wrapped sterile packages have a maximum shelf life
30 days
An infection that occurs after a surgical procedure at the site of surgery.
surgical site infection (SSI)
An indicator consisting of bacterial spores that is used as a quality control method in autoclaves to confirm that sterilization has occurred.
biological indicator
Any type of protective gear worn to guard against physical hazards.
personal protective equipment (PPE)
Due to several large outbreaks of hepatitis B and C in outpatient settings, recommendations for safe injection practices were included as part of the Guideline for Isolation Precautions established by
CDC
Which of the following is a process that is required for all instruments that penetrate the skin or that come in contact with normally sterile areas of the tissues and internal organs?
sterilization