Proper PPE
What does PPE stand for?
Personal Protective Equipment
Why is it important to monitor vital signs?
To assess conditions and detect changes
When should you disclose information after an incident?
Immediately
What principle guides immediate action after a safety error or contamination event?
The “do no harm” principle — prioritize patient safety before anything else
what happens after the disclosure
After disclosure, the focus shifts from blame to healing, transparency, and system improvement. The family receives support, the event is analyzed, and the healthcare team learns and implements changes to ensure it wont happen again
Why is proper hand washing important?
To prevent infection
Why is documentation critical after an infection control breach?
provide an accurate record for investigation and quality improvement
After the patient passed away, the healthcare team was ethically obligated to do this with the family
Disclose the incident and explain what happened honestly
The patient reports her IV site feels itchy. What is the nurse’s immediate action?
Stop the infusion, assess the IV site for redness, swelling, or infiltration, and document the findings
what can we do to prevent this from happening again
hand hygiene, proper PPE use, visitor education, and a strong hospital safety culture
What is the single most effective action to prevent the spread of pathogens?
Handwashing
What could have been done differently in the video?
If the nurse had followed full PPE and hand hygiene, if the MRSA visitor had removed her PPE before leaving the room, and if the hospital had stronger infection control protocols, the MRSA cross-contamination. The patient’s death likely could have been prevented
who should you involve in the disclosure as a Nursing Student?
Your CI, charge nurse, your Patient, family, and Nursing Team
Before starting a new IV in the other arm, what must the nurse do first?
Perform hand hygiene, prepare a clean surface, use sterile equipment, and wear full PPE
who should we educate about this incident
Everyone - staff, patients, visitors, and leadership/volunteers
What is the proper order to put on PPE for contact precautions
Hand hygiene, Gown, Gloves, Mask
How can nurses prevent visitors from spreading infection beyond the patient’s room?
Supervise or monitor visitor PPE compliance and offer re-education when necessary
Where should the disclosure take place?
Patients Bedside as well as the nurses station
What should the nurse do immediately if a visitor or staff member breaks infection control rules?
Intervene respectfully, educate them about proper PPE, and report the incident to the charge nurse or infection control team
What is an appropriate next step if the nurse feels distressed after the event?
seek emotional support through the programs the hospitals provide (ex: spiritual support, cultural support, emotional support, etc)
What type of precautionary PPE should you wear for a Patient with MRSA
Contact Precautions
What are the interventions for this case
The main nursing interventions revolve around hand hygiene, PPE use, patient assessment, documentation, and education. By following infection control standards consistently, nurses prevent cross-contamination, protect patients, and maintain safe care environments
What professional standard requires nurses to disclose adverse events?
the CNA Code of Ethics and institutional policy on patient safety
If an outbreak or transmission risk (like MRSA) is identified, what immediate steps should be taken?
Isolate affected patients, notify infection control, and reinforce PPE precautions for everyone entering the room
What communication next step follows internal reporting of the incident?
Notify public health or infection control authorities if required by hospital policy