Terms
Air Exchanges
new air replacements
Bactrium
a small, single-celled microorganism that can exist in three main forms, depending on type: spherical, rod-shaped, and spiral
Distillation
process of boiling a liquid and capturing the condensed gases or vapor back into a purified liquid form
HEPA
a device used to filter over 99% of particulate matter from the air to establish an aseptic environment in which to prepare CSPs
Macrodrip IV Tubing
IV tubing sets that have a sufficient diameter to deliver 10, 15, 20 per milliliter
Asepsis
the absence of pathogenic microorganisms
Buffer room
an ISO Class 7 or cleaner area where the PEC s are physically located; also called the IV or cleanroom
Drop Chamber
the small, open space just below the spike adaptor where the drops of fluid from the IV bag into the tubing are counted by the nurse to determine the flow rate of the IV solution
Injection Port
a connector on the IV tubing which allows the injection of IV fluid or medication other than that in the current IV bag to be infused into the patient’s vein
Phlebitis
an inflammation of the vein from the administration of drugs
Aseptic hand washing
a more aggressive soap and water hand washing procedure, followed by use of an antiseptic agent before donning sterile attire
Clean room
an ISO-classified room (or two-room configuration of a cleanroom area) in which the concentration of airborne particles is controlled to meet a specified airborne-particulate cleanliness class to prevent particle and microbial contamination of CSPs; also called the IV room or buffer room
Drop factor
the number of drops that an IV tubing drivers to provide 1 ml; this number may be used by nurses to calculate the IV flow rate when using certain types of primary IV tubing, also called drop set or drip set
In-Line Filter
a device used in the IV line to remove contaminants such as glass, fibers, bits of rubber, and bacteria from IV fluids
Positive Pressure
air is being blown into a room and therefore it has higher pressure than the adjacent spaces so the net airflow is out of the area
Aseptic technique
the manipulation of sterile products and devices to avoid contamination by disease-causing organisms; includes cleanroom protocols and hand-washing and gowning procedures
Critical Site
the part of the syringe and/or needle that is at risk for contamination by touch or airflow interruption
Epidemic
a regional widespread contagious disease
ISO
an air quality classification from the international organization for standardization measures the amount of particulate matter in room air, the lower the ISO number, the less particulate matter is present in the air
Primary Tubing
IV tubing that is attached to the primary IV bag of solution
Autoclave
a device that generates heart and pressure to sterilize objects instruments, and measures vessels
Disinfectant
a chemical agent such as sterile 70% IPA used on inanimate surfaces and objects to destroy fungi, viruses, and bacteria, but not necessarily their spores
Filtration
funneling of a liquid or gas through filters, or mesh screens with minute holes too small for biological and chemical contaminants to pass through
IVPB
a small-volume parenteral (SVP) infusion (50 ml, 100 ml, 250 ml) containing medications attached to a primary LVP IV solution
Sepsis
when an infection is so threatening to the body that the immune system begins to attack the body’s own blood vessels and organs causing inflammation, leaky vessels, organ failure, and septic shock