Infection Control Flashcards

What are the 'five moments for hand hygiene' according to the WHO?

Answer: Before patient contact, before aseptic tasks, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, after contact with patient surroundings

WHO's '5 Moments' are: 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 framework targets all critical transmission points in patient care.

What personal protective equipment is required for standard precautions when there is a risk of blood splash?

Answer: Gloves, gown, mask, and eye protection

Standard precautions require: gloves when touching blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, or non-intact skin; mask and eye protection (goggles or face shield) when splash or spray of blood/body fluids is anticipated; gown when clothing may be soiled.

What is the difference between disinfection and sterilization?

Answer: Sterilization destroys all microorganisms including spores; disinfection destroys most but not necessarily all spores

Sterilization (autoclave, ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide plasma) destroys all microbial forms including bacterial endospores. Disinfection reduces microbial count to safe levels but may not eliminate all spores. Critical items (enter sterile tissue) require sterilization; semi-critical items require high-level disinfection.

A healthcare worker sustains a needlestick injury from an HIV-positive patient. What is the immediate action?

Answer: Wash the wound with soap and water, report to occupational health, assess HIV exposure and start PEP within 72 hours

Needlestick response: immediately wash with soap and water (do not squeeze), report to occupational health or emergency department, assess source patient HIV status, and start HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) within 72 hours (ideally <2 hours) — a 28-day antiretroviral course.

Which type of precaution is required for a patient with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection?

Answer: Contact precautions with soap and water hand hygiene (not alcohol gel)

C. difficile produces spores that are resistant to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Contact precautions (gloves and gown) are required, and soap and water hand hygiene is mandatory because the mechanical action of washing physically removes spores that alcohol does not kill.

What is the purpose of using sterile technique for wound care?

Answer: To prevent introduction of microorganisms that could cause surgical site or wound infection

Wounds expose normally protected internal tissues to potential contamination. Sterile technique during wound care (sterile gloves, sterile dressings, sterile irrigating solutions) prevents introducing new pathogens that could cause local infection, delayed healing, bacteremia, or sepsis.