Infection Control

Dr. Sheryl M. Reyes

What is infection Control?
Pertains to the numerous measures that are taken to prevent infections from
occurring in health care settings.
Ways to break various links in the chain of infection


ASEPSIS

Wound contamination is not inevitable and that pathogens can be prevented
from reaching vulnerable areas ASEPSIS WITHOUT INFECTION

TWO TYPES OF ASEPSIS:
1. Medical Asepsis
2. Surgical Asepsis

1.Medical Asepsis
also Known as Clean Technique
Includes all the precautionary measures necessary to prevent direct transfer of
pathogens from person to person and indirect transfer of pathogens fomites
Includes: 1. frequent and thorough handwashing
2. personal grooming
3. proper cleaning of supplies and equipment
4. disinfection
5. proper disposal of needles ,contaminated materials, and infectious
waste
6. sterilization
GOAL: to Exclude Pathogens
Surgical Asepsis
Also known as Sterile Technique
Includes practices used to render and keep objects and areas sterile
This is practiced in operating Rooms, labor and Delivery areas, certain areas of
hospital laboratory and at patients bedside
Surgical Aseptic Technique Includes:
1. scrubbing hands and fingernails before entering OR
2. using sterile gloves, masks, gowns and shoe covers
3. using sterile solutions and dressings
4. using sterile drapes and creating a sterile field
5. using heat-sterilized surgical instruments


Standard Precautions (as defined by
CDC in 1996)

Transmission Based Precautions
Designed for patients known or suspected to be infected with highly
transmissible or epidemiologically important pathogens for which additional
precautions beyond standard precautions are required to interrupt
transmission within hospitals.
3 types of Transmission Based Precautions:
1. airborne precautions
2. droplet precautions
3. contact precautions

Note: these are used in addition to the standard precautions already being
used
Airborne precautions
Source Isolation
When patients with tuberculosis or other contagious diseases are placed
into isolation to protect other people from becoming infected
isolation room are usually under negative pressure to prevent room air from
entering the hallway when the door is opened, and air that is evacuated from
such rooms passes through HEPA filters to remove pathogens


Protective Isolation
Certain patients are especially vulnerable to infections, i.e severe burns, leukemia ,
patients who received transplant, immunosuppressed persons, those receiving
radiation treatments, and leukopenic patients, premature infants

Also known as reverse isolation or neutropenic isolation
Patients are placed in a TOTAL PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT (TPE)
TPE includes a private room in which vented air entering the room is passed
through HEPA filters
Room is positive pressure to prevent hallway air from entering when the door is
opened
All items coming in contact with the patient must be disinfected or sterilized
Persons entering room must wear sterile gowns , masks, gloves, caps and shoe
covers