Infection Prevention
What is a nosocomial infection?
An infection that was contracted while in the hospital. Interchangeable with HAI (heath-care associated infection)
What does ethics attempt to answer?
How should we act?
What are three major issues involved in using disposable respiratory equipment?
cost, quality, and reuse
When the welfare of the community or a vulnerable individual is at stake.
How long should you wash your hands?
At least 15 seconds!
What act permits an employee with knowledge of fraud or false billing to file a lawsuit against the company or organization engaging in fraud?
The False Claims Act
When leaving a patient environment with C. difficile, what is the effective method of cleaning your hands?
Wash your hands with soap and water. Use bleach to clean reusable equipment.
What does Autonomy protect?
The patients right to refuse treatment.
4%
What ethical viewpoint only envisions what "a good professional" would do?
Virtue ethics
What is the primary source of spreading infection in healthcare?
Humans!
Workers, visitors, and patients
What is the focus of Civil Law?
Recognition and enforcement of the rights and duties of private individuals and organizations?
Provide three examples of patients in danger of developing healthcare-associated infections.
1. HIV positive 2. Extreme ages 3. Poorly controlled Diabetes Mellitus
What is the purpose of a code of ethics?
Specific guidance in resolving ethical dilemmas.
What are the four categories of Expanded Precautions?
Contact Precautions, Droplet Precautions, Airborne Infection Isolation, and Protective Environment
There has been much debate over the prolongation of life versus relief (euthanasia). What ethical principle creates a dilemma?
Beneficence.
List an example of a disease that travels through DROPLET.
Influenza
What does PHI stand for?
protected health information
What piece of RT equipment presents the most common source of patient infections?
Large-volume nebulizers produce aerosols capable of spreading pathogenic microbes.
What steps should be followed before making any ethical decision?
1. Identify all involved individuals. 2. Identify what ethical principles apply 3. Identify who should make the decision, and 4.) Consider the alternatives.
What is the main intention of healthcare organizations to require their workers to be immunized?
To maintain a healthy workforce to care for all the sick patients that fill the hospitals.
List an ethical issue that has recently become significant in healthcare in the past 20 years.
Patient’s right to privacy
Your patient is on precautions and must go on transport. What do you need to ensure?
The patient needs to wear appropriate barrier protection and ensure that a filter is placed on the expiratory side of the manual resuscitator device if ventilating.
Questionable business practice engaged by an RT is an example of which malpractice?
Ethical
What is a fomite?
An object or material which is likely to carry infection, such as clothes utensils, and furniture.
List an example of role fidelity for a respiratory therapist.
A respiratory therapist might be ethically obliged not to tell a patient’s family how critical the situation is, instead having the attending physician do so.
What elements are needed to transmit infections in a healthcare setting?
(1) a source (or reservoir) of pathogens, (2) a route of transmission for the pathogen, and (3) a susceptible host.
List the seven guiding principles in contemporary ethical decision-making.
Autonomy, veracity, nonmaleficence, beneficence, confidentiality, justice, and role fidelity
What is the most common route of pathogen transmission?
Indirect contact transmission involves the transfer of a pathogen through a contaminated intermediate object or person.
What is the role of the CCO? (corporate compliance officer)
To oversee the hospital's business practices and made sure that they conform to the law.
Small-volume nebulizers produce bacterial aerosols that have been associated with what kind of disease within the hospital.
nosocomial pneumonia.
What ethical viewpoint aims to promote the greatest general good for the most people?
Consequentialism
What is the simplest level of infection control?
Standard Precautions refer to the simplest level of infection control based on the recognition that all blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions may contain transmissible infectious agents.
Physical contact without the patient's consent is subject to what change?
The major element of battery is physical contact without consent.
List five key components of an infection prevention program.
Surveillance, investigation, prevention, control, and reporting.
What is euthanasia and what type of malpractice would this be considered?
The act of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering. Criminal malpractice includes crimes such as assault and battery or euthanasia (handled in criminal court).