Germs 101
Tiny living things like bacteria and viruses that can make you sick.
What are germs?
This is what HAI stands for.
What is healthcare-acquired infection?
Germs can spread when you touch this kind of surface or object.
What is a contaminated surface?
This piece of safety gear protects your hands from germs.
What are gloves?
This simple habit is one of the easiest and most effective ways to stop the spread of germs in real life.
What is handwashing (or cleaning your hands)?
True or False: Every single germ is bad for you.
What is false?
When someone gets a urinary tract infection (UTI) from having a catheter in too long, it’s called this.
What is a CAUTI (Catheter-associated urinary tract infection)?
Skipping this simple habit is one of the top ways germs spread in clinics.
What is handwashing (or poor hand hygiene)?
You should scrub your hands for this long to really clean them.
What is 20 seconds?
If you skip handwashing, you could accidentally cause this kind of infection.
What is a healthcare-acquired infection (HAI)?
Name one of the four main types of germs that can cause infections in healthcare settings.
What are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa?
These happen when germs get into the body after surgery.
What are surgical site infections?
Germs can float through the air when someone does this without covering their mouth or nose.
What is coughing or sneezing?
This face covering keeps your spit and breath from reaching others.
What is a mask?
This tool shows where you missed spots after washing your hands, using a blacklight and special lotion.
What is the Glo Germ kit?
This kind of germ causes things like the flu and the common cold.
What is a virus?
This serious infection can spread through the blood and is hard to treat.
What is MRSA?
Germs can sneak into the body during these medical procedures, like putting in a catheter or IV.
What are invasive procedures?
This tight-fitting mask filters germs from the air and needs a special test to fit right.
What is a respirator (like an N95)?
In hospitals, these two groups—besides patients—are also protected by good infection control. Name one.
What are healthcare workers and visitors?
This type of germ is a tiny single-celled organism that often spreads through water and can cause stomach bugs or other serious infections.
What is a protozoan (or protozoa)?
These infections can happen when someone is on a ventilator to help them breathe.
What is ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)?
True or False: If you don’t feel sick, you can still pass germs to other people.
What is true?
Name one of the times when you should clean your hands in a clinic.
What is before/after patient contact, after touching surfaces, or after removing gloves, or all times?
This infection can be life-threatening and is often spread in hospitals when germs enter the bloodstream.
What is MRSA (or a bloodstream infection like MRSA)?