Hand Hygiene and Environment of Care
The single most effective way to prevent the spread of infection.
What is hand hygiene?
The type of precautions you practice with all patients to help select PPE based on your interaction with the patient.
What is Standard Precautions?
Examples gloves, mask, eye protection, gown.
This is performed daily for patients with a central line and select surgeries.
What is chlorhexidine (CHG) treatment/bathing/cleansing?
Patients who are suspected or confirmed to have Airborne-transmissible diseases must be placed in this type of pressurized room.
What is negative pressure or airborne infection isolation room (AIIR)?
Refer to Policy IP 235 for list of negative pressure rooms
This type of hand hygiene is performed if hands are visibly contaminated with bodily fluids, after using the restroom, and before eating.
What is using soap and water, and using vigorous friction for minimum 20 seconds?
These are ways to practice Injection Safety.
What is do not recap needles, do not bend/break needles, minimize handling of sharps, disposing in sharps container immediately, and using sharps safety products?
This is provided to patients and their family members, especially those with central lines, indwelling catheters, ventilators, or positive with multidrug resistant organisms (MRSA, VRE, ESBL, CRE, C. difficile).
What is education?
Materials are in PAWS > Clinical Education > Patient and Family Education Handouts. Documentation is performed in Cerner > Infection Prevention Education form.
A highly contagious viral disease spread by respiratory droplets and can present as high cough, runny nose (coryza), conjunctivitis, fever, Koplik spots, and maculopapular rash.
What is measles, or rubeola?
The term used to describe what is frequently touched or in direct physical contact with the patient.
What are high-touch surfaces?
Examples: call lights, IV poles, light switches, bed rails, tables, BP cuffs
The transmission-based precaution when caring for a patient with MRSA, VRE, ESBL, CRE, or Cystic Fibrosis with multi-drug resistant organisms.
What is Contact Precautions? (green sign, without blue dot).
This is how to prevent ventilator associated pneumonia.
What is elevating the head of the bed 30 degrees, daily oral care, and assessing daily necessity?
This is a major risk factor for C. difficile which can result in uncomplicated diarrhea, colitis, toxic megacolon, and even death.
What is antimicrobial use (alters the person’s normal intestinal flora)?
The wet time for Super SaniCloth (purple top) and Sani-Cloth Bleach disinfectant wipes.
What is 2 minutes (Super SaniCloth) and 4 minutes (Sani-Cloth Bleach)?
Remember: use bleach for C. diff and norovirus.
These types of diseases require Airborne precautions.
What is pulmonary tuberculosis, measles, chickenpox (and contact lilac sign), or disseminated varicella-zoster (and contact lilac sign)?
Name 2 maintenance best practice bundle elements to reduce central line associated bloodstream infections.
What is
1) Hand hygiene
2) Scrub the hub
3) Sterile cap covers
4) Assess necessity daily
5) CHG
6) Dressing changes?
When respiratory viruses such as RSV, parainfluenza, influenza, and rhino/enterovirus can be cleared from isolation precautions.
What is asymptomatic for >24 hours?
Note – there is no isolation minimum and discontinuing isolation is a nurse driven based on resolution of symptoms.
Refer to Isolation Cheat Sheet Education for Staff
These are the “5 Moments of Hand Hygiene.”
What is:
1) Before touching a patient
2) Before clean/aseptic procedures
3) After body fluid exposure risk
4) After touching a patient
5) After touching patient surroundings?
This required PPE is worn during high risk, aerosol generating procedures (eg. Intubation, bronoscopy) on patients with confirmed or suspected TB or COVID-19.
What is a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR)?
Name 2 maintenance best practice bundle elements to reduce catheter associated urinary tract infections.
What is
1) Hand hygiene
2) Assess necessity daily
3) No dependent loops/kinks
4) Avoid disconnecting the catheter and drainage tube
5) Secure catheter
6) Empty drainage bag
7) Pericare once a shift and after bowel movement
Cystic fibrosis patients without a multidrug resistant organism are allowed certain privileges and visit areas.
What is pet therapy and allowed in the playroom or other areas with their masks on but cannot be around other CF patients?