Asepsis
absence of significant contamination
Health care-associated infections (HAIs)
-an infection acquired while the client is receiving care in a health-care
setting
-formally called nosocomial infections
-can come from exogenous source or endogenous source
-most common setting for HAIs is the ICU
-best way to prevent HAIs is through frequent and effective hand hygiene
-most common site of HAIs is the urinary tract
-most common causative agents are Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus,
and enterococci
-an iatrogenic infection results from a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure
-HAIs are not always preventable and not always iatrogenic
chain of infection
infectious agent
reservoir
portal of exit
mode of transmission
portal of entry
susceptible host
,What are the two types of aseptic techniques nurses practice?
medical and surgical asepsis
What is medical asepsis/clean technique?
procedures used to reduce the number and prevent the spread of
microorganisms.
Examples: Hand hygiene, use of barrier techniques such as gloving and
gowning, and routine environmental cleaning
principals of surgical aseptic technique
remains sterile only when touched by a sterile object
only sterile object can be placed in a sterile field
out of vision or below waist is now contaminated
prolonged exposure = contamination
edges to 1 inch are considered contaminated
LABORATORY VALUES:
WBC
5,000 to 10,000 per mm^3
,**Increases during acute infection**
**Decreases in certain viral and overwhelming infections**
LABORATORY VALUES:
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
Men: Up to 15 mm per hour
Women: up to 20 mm per hour
**Elevated during presence of inflammatory process**
LABORATORY VALUES:
Iron Level
60 to 90 G per 100 mL
**Decreases in chronic infection**
LABORATORY VALUES:
Cultures of Urine and Blood
, Normally sterile without microorganisms growth
**Indicates prescence of infectious microorganism growth**
LABORATORY VALUES:
Cultures and Gram Stain of Wound, Sputum, and Throat
WBC present on Gram Stain; possible normal flora
**Indicates presence of infectious microorganisms growth and WBC's on
Gram stain**
LABORATORY VALUES: Differental Count (% of each type of WBC)
Neutrophils
55% to 70%
**Increases during acute suppurative infections**
**Decreases in overwhelming infections in older adults**
absence of significant contamination
Health care-associated infections (HAIs)
-an infection acquired while the client is receiving care in a health-care
setting
-formally called nosocomial infections
-can come from exogenous source or endogenous source
-most common setting for HAIs is the ICU
-best way to prevent HAIs is through frequent and effective hand hygiene
-most common site of HAIs is the urinary tract
-most common causative agents are Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus,
and enterococci
-an iatrogenic infection results from a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure
-HAIs are not always preventable and not always iatrogenic
chain of infection
infectious agent
reservoir
portal of exit
mode of transmission
portal of entry
susceptible host
,What are the two types of aseptic techniques nurses practice?
medical and surgical asepsis
What is medical asepsis/clean technique?
procedures used to reduce the number and prevent the spread of
microorganisms.
Examples: Hand hygiene, use of barrier techniques such as gloving and
gowning, and routine environmental cleaning
principals of surgical aseptic technique
remains sterile only when touched by a sterile object
only sterile object can be placed in a sterile field
out of vision or below waist is now contaminated
prolonged exposure = contamination
edges to 1 inch are considered contaminated
LABORATORY VALUES:
WBC
5,000 to 10,000 per mm^3
,**Increases during acute infection**
**Decreases in certain viral and overwhelming infections**
LABORATORY VALUES:
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
Men: Up to 15 mm per hour
Women: up to 20 mm per hour
**Elevated during presence of inflammatory process**
LABORATORY VALUES:
Iron Level
60 to 90 G per 100 mL
**Decreases in chronic infection**
LABORATORY VALUES:
Cultures of Urine and Blood
, Normally sterile without microorganisms growth
**Indicates prescence of infectious microorganism growth**
LABORATORY VALUES:
Cultures and Gram Stain of Wound, Sputum, and Throat
WBC present on Gram Stain; possible normal flora
**Indicates presence of infectious microorganisms growth and WBC's on
Gram stain**
LABORATORY VALUES: Differental Count (% of each type of WBC)
Neutrophils
55% to 70%
**Increases during acute suppurative infections**
**Decreases in overwhelming infections in older adults**
