Infection Control and Saudi MOH Regulations Flashcards

The nurse is reviewing the principles of aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT). What is the core principle of ANTT?

Answer: Key parts (those that would directly contaminate the patient) must never be touched or contaminated

The core principle of ANTT is protecting 'key parts' (needles, syringe tips, catheter tips, IV line connections) and 'key sites' (insertion sites, wounds) from contamination. Key parts must never be touched and must be protected from environmental contamination.

A patient in a Saudi hospital is diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). What is the most important nursing action for preventing nosocomial spread?

Answer: Immediately place in a single-room negative-pressure airborne isolation and notify IPC team and MOH

MERS-CoV is a notifiable disease in Saudi Arabia requiring immediate MOH notification. Negative-pressure airborne isolation, full PPE, strict contact tracing, and IPC team involvement are mandatory. Saudi Arabia has established specific MERS response protocols due to the disease's endemic nature in the Kingdom.

Which disinfectant level is required for semi-critical medical devices (devices that contact intact mucous membranes)?

Answer: High-level disinfection (e.g., glutaraldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, OPA)

The Spaulding classification requires high-level disinfection for semi-critical items (contact with intact mucous membranes, e.g., endoscopes, respiratory therapy equipment). High-level disinfection kills all microorganisms except large numbers of bacterial spores. Critical items (enter sterile tissue) require sterilization.

The nurse is assessing an isolation room for a patient with chickenpox (varicella). The room must have:

Answer: Negative pressure with at least 6–12 air changes per hour and exhaust to outside or HEPA filtration

Varicella (chickenpox) is an airborne infection transmitted via airborne droplet nuclei. Airborne precautions require a negative-pressure isolation room with at least 6–12 air changes per hour and exhaust vented directly outside or through HEPA filtration to prevent recirculation.

A nurse is implementing a surgical site infection (SSI) prevention bundle pre-operatively. Which intervention has the strongest evidence for reducing SSI?

Answer: Chlorhexidine-alcohol skin preparation and appropriate perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis

Evidence-based SSI prevention: chlorhexidine-alcohol skin antisepsis (superior to povidone-iodine), timely antibiotic prophylaxis (within 60 min of incision), maintaining normothermia and glucose control, and avoiding hair shaving (clippers if needed, just before surgery). Prophylactic antibiotics should not extend beyond 24 hours routinely.

A nurse discovers that a patient has been colonized with New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM) producing organism. What is the significance of this finding for antibiotic therapy?

Answer: The organism is resistant to nearly all beta-lactam antibiotics including carbapenems — extremely limited treatment options

NDM-producing organisms produce a metallo-beta-lactamase that hydrolyzes virtually all beta-lactam antibiotics, including carbapenems (last-resort antibiotics). Treatment options are extremely limited (colistin, tigecycline, certain novel agents). This represents a major public health and patient safety threat.