Hand Hygiene
The most effective way to prevent transmission of infections
What is Hand Hygiene?
What steps could you take to prevent infections when prepping an IV antibiotic to administer to the patient? (multiple correct answers)
Wipe down top of vial, scrub the hub, label the IV tubing with date and time, never let IV line touch the ground, hand hygiene
What does C. Diff stand for?
Clostridium Difficile
In a hospital setting, ____________ is responsible for Infection Control.
Everyone
What are the steps you take when you get injured or exposed to blood/chemicals at work?
Wash area with soap and water if exposed to blood/chemical. Tell supervisor. Register to be seen in ER. Fill out Action Cue.
What is the recommended time to wash your hands with soap and water?
At least 20 seconds to remove harmful germs from your hands. Make sure to scrub all areas of your hands, including your palms, backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.
Is the placement of the foley on the bed important and if so, why?
Yes. The foley should always be below the bladder. If the foley is above the bladder the urine that has been in the tube or bag growing bacteria can flow back into the bladder causing an infection.
What must you wash your hands with if you care for a patient with C. diff and why?
Soap and water. Alcohol based hand sanitizer does not kill C. diff spores. Soap and water will wash the spores off of your hands and down the drain.
Which of the following vaccines prevent chickenpox? Varicella, MMR, Covid, TDaP
Varicella
What 2 things are required to be done annually for all employees?
N95 Fit Test and TB questionnaire
True or False: Wearing gloves is a reasonable alternative to washing your hands.
False. Gloves have micro-pores so organisms/germs can wiggle through. This is why you need to wash your hands before and after wearing gloves.
True or false: You can get a prize for asking the provider to remove an unnecessary PICC or foley catheter and they remove it.
True. This doesn't count if the patient is discharging that day!
Name 3 symptoms of C. diff.
Fever, diarrhea 3+ times a day, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain/tenderness
After running fever, vomiting or having diarrhea how long should you wait before coming back to work?
24 hours fever, vomiting or diarrhea free without the use of medications
You need to decide whether or not you will get a flu vaccine by this date.
What is December 1st, 2023?
Chipped fingernail polish, artificial nails, rings, watches
What are places germs can be hiding on/under when we wash our hands?
What measurements should you take when you are changing a patients PICC line dressing on Wednesdays?
Arm Circumference, length of exposed catheter
What do we do before testing a patient for C. diff?
Which of the following items should be disposed of in bio-hazard bags? Blood soaked items, used batteries, medications that fell on the floor or used needles
Blood SOAKED items
What vaccination should be repeated every 10 years for healthcare workers?
Tetanus (Tdap)
How do hand sanitizers work differently than handwashing?
Alcohol based hand sanitizers work by killing germs on your hands, while washing your hands with soap and waster removes germs from your hands
True or false: We have caps to cover the ends of our PICC lines when not in use as well as our IV lines.
Ture. When not in use, both lines should have a protective cap.
What kind of precautions should a patient with C. diff be in?
Enteric (this means contact + washing your hands with soap)
What does AMS stand for when it comes to infection control?
Antimicrobial Stewardship (AKA Antibiotic Stewardship) Efforts made to ensure that antibiotics are used only when necessary and appropriate. That means prescribing the right drug at the right dose at the right time for the right duration.
Why do we do a 2 step TB test upon hire?
Some people infected with tuberculosis may have a negative reaction to the TST if many years have passed since they became infected. They may have a positive reaction to a subsequent TST because the initial test stimulates their ability to react to the test. This is commonly referred to as the “booster phenomenon”.