Germ Basics
What are germs?
Microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa
Name one way germs can spread in a hospital.
Touching contaminated surfaces or equipment
What does PPE stand for?
Personal Protective Equipment
When should you wash your hands in a hospital?
Before/after patient contact, after touching surfaces, after removing gloves
What is the anatomical position?
Upright, facing forward, arms at sides, palms forward
What does “HAI” stand for?
Healthcare-Acquired Infection
How can mobile equipment like blood pressure cuffs or stethoscopes contribute to the spread of infection?
If not disinfected between uses, they can transfer germs between patients
What do gloves protect you from in a healthcare setting?
Contamination from bodily fluids or dirty surfaces
What is the most effective defense against spreading infection?
Proper hand hygiene
Which body plane divides front and back halves?
Frontal (coronal) plane
Are all germs harmful? Why or why not?
No, but even helpful germs can cause problems in healthcare if they enter the wrong place
Why are multi-patient hospital rooms considered higher risk for germ transmission?
Shared surfaces and closer proximity increase the likelihood of cross-contamination
Why do healthcare workers wear gowns?
To protect clothing and skin from exposure to harmful substances
Name two times you must use hand hygiene.
Before patient contact and after glove removal (or touching a surface)
What does “proximal” mean in relation to limbs?
Closer to the point of attachment
Name the common HAIs.
CAUTI, MRSA, surgical site infections, or ventilator-associated pneumonia (any two)
Explain how a break in sterile technique during a medical procedure could lead to infection.
Germs from non-sterile surfaces or air can enter the body through wounds, catheters, or surgical incisions
When would you need to wear eye protection?
When there’s risk of splashes or sprays
A nurse removes gloves after cleaning a wound and immediately begins typing notes on a computer without washing her hands. What mistake did she make, and why is it a problem?
She skipped hand hygiene after glove removal. Germs can transfer from gloves to hands during removal, so touching surfaces afterward risks contaminating equipment and spreading infection.
Name the two main body cavities and an organ in each.
Dorsal (brain/spinal cord), Ventral (heart/lungs/digestive organs)
Why are patients in hospitals more vulnerable to infection, even from low-risk germs?
Their immune systems are often weakened by illness, surgery, or treatment
A patient develops pneumonia after being on a ventilator for 48 hours. Explain how germs likely spread in this scenario.
Germs may have entered the lungs through the ventilator tube due to poor handling or biofilm buildup
What’s the difference between a surgical mask and an N95 respirator?
N95 filters airborne particles and must be fit-tested; masks protect against droplets only
Describe the full handwashing process.
Wet hands, apply soap, scrub 20 sec (nails, between fingers), rinse, dry with clean towel
Match each abdominal quadrant (RUQ, LUQ, RLQ, LLQ) with a key organ.
RUQ: liver, LUQ: stomach, RLQ: appendix, LLQ: colon/ovary