TERM FOR ANY PLANT OR ANIMAL THAT CANNOT BE SEEN WITHOUT THE USE OF A MICROSCOPE.

MICROORGANISMS ARE EVERYWHERE.

SOME MICROORGANISMS ARE HARMFUL, SOME ARE NOT.

PATHOGENS

HARMFUL ORGANISMS THAT CAN CAUSE AN INFECTION WHEN THEY ENTER THE BODY.

NONPATHOGENS

MICROORGANISMS THAT ARE NOT HARMFUL AND DO NOT CAUSE AN INFECTION.

NORMAL FLORA

MICROORGANISMS THAT LIVE AND GROW IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS OF THE BODY.

THE INVASION AND GROWTH OF DISEASE CAUSING MICROORGANISMS IN THE BODY.

AN INFECTION THAT A PERSON ACQUIRES WHILE IN A HEALTH CARE INSTITUTION.

PATIENTS ARE AT RISK FOR DEVELOPING A NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION BECAUSE:

THEY HAVE A WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM

MEDICATION MAY WEAKEN THEIR RESPONSE TO INFECTION

HIGHER INCIDENCE OF EXPOSURE FROM HEALTH CARE WORKERS OR OBJECTS CARRYING MICROORGANISMS

PERSON LIKELY TO GET A DISEASE IF EXPOSED

PATHOGEN

WHERE THE PATHOGEN LIVES IN THE BODY

WHERE THE PATHOGEN LEAVES THE BODY

HOW THE PATHOGEN TRAVELS

WHERE THE PATHOGEN ENTERS THE BODY

INFECTIONS THAT RESIST THE EFFECTS OF ANTIBIOTICS

THIS MAKES THE INFECTION DIFFICULT TO TREAT

CAUSED BY DOCTORS PRESCRIBING ANTIBIOTICS THAT ARE NOT NEEDED OR BY PATIENTS NOT FINISHING A COURSE OF ANTIBIOTICS

TWO COMMON DRUG RESISTANT ORANISMS:

MRSA - METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS - USUALLY FOUND ON THE SKIN AND NASAL PASSAGES. CAUSES SKIN AND LUNG INFECTIONS

VRE - VANCOMYCIN RESISTANT ENTEROCOCCUS - USUALLY FOUND IN THE INTESTINES AND IN FECES. CAUSES URINARY, WOUND, PELVIC INFECTIONS

IMMUNE SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK AS WELL AS A YOUNGER PERSON’S

MAY NOT SHOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AN INFECTION

THEY MAY NOT COMPLAIN OF PAIN

CONFUSION MAY OCCUR

AN INFECTION MAY BECOME LIFE-THREATENING BEFORE THE OLDER PERSON HAS SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

THE PROCESS OF DESTROYING PATHOGENS .

THE PROCESS OF DESTROYING ALL MICROORGANISMS.

THE PRACTICES USED IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO REMOVE OR DESTROY PATHOGENS AND TO PREVENT

THEIR SPREAD FROM ONE PERSON OR PLACE TO ANOTHER.

WASH CONTAMINATED AREAS WITH SOAP AND WATER

PROVIDE THE PERSON WITH TISSUES TO USE WHEN COUGHING OR SNEEZING

WEAR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AS NEEDED

DO NOT SHAKE LINENS

CLEAN FROM THE CLEANEST AREA TO THE DIRTIEST

DO NOT SIT ON BEDS

DO NOT USE THINGS THAT HAVE FALLEN TO THE FLOOR

CLEAN AND DISINFECT SHOWERS AND SHOWER CHAIRS AFTER EACH USE

CLEAN AND DISINFECT BEDPANS, URINALS, AND COMMODES AFTER USE

REPORT PESTS - ANTS, SPIDERS, MICE

DIRTY LINEN GOES IN THE DIRTY LINEN HAMPER.

A PLASTIC BAG IS PLACED ON THE INSIDE OF THE HAMPER AND CHANGED WHEN IT IS FULL.

THERE MAY BE A SEPARATE HAMPER FOR PERSONAL ITEMS (CLOTHING) AND LINEN.

ITEMS OR AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO DISEASE-CAUSING MICROORGANISMS.

AN AREA IS CLEAN WHEN IT IS FREE OF PATHOGENS.

AN AREA IS CONTAMINATED IF PATHOGENS ARE PRESENT

BEFORE AND AFTER CARING FOR EACH PATIENT

BEFORE AND AFTER USING GLOVES

BEFORE AND AFTER EATING

AFTER COUGHING, SNEEZING, OR BLOWING YOUR NOSE

AFTER COMBING YOUR HAIR

AFTER USING THE TOLIET

BEFORE HANDLING “CLEAN” ITEMS

AFTER HANDLING “DIRTY” ITEMS

BEFORE AND AFTER SMOKING

WASH YOUR HANDS UNDER WARM RUNNING WATER.

USE PAPER TOWELS TO TURN THE WATER ON AND OFF.

IF BAR SOAP IS USED, RINSE THE BAR FIRST AND HOLD THE SOAP DURING THE ENTIRE PROCEDURE.

HOLD YOUR HANDS AND FOREARMS LOWER THAN YOUR ELBOWS THROUGHOUT THE PROCEDURE.

ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE THUMBS, KNUCKLES, SIDES OF THE HANDS, FINGERS, AND UNDER THE NAILS.

WASH YOUR HANDS FOR AT LEAST 15 - 20 SECONDS.

DO NOT LEAN AGAINST THE SINK.

USE A LOTION TO PREVENT CHAPPING AND BREAKS IN THE SKIN.

DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SPREADING PATHOGENS FROM BOTH KNOWN AND UNKNOWN INFECTIONS.

USED FOR ALL PERSONS WHENEVER CARE IS GIVEN.

PREVENTS THE SPREAD OF INFECTION FROM:

BLOOD

ALL BODY FLUIDS, SECRETIONS, AND EXCRETIONS

NONINTACT SKIN (SORES, SKIN TEARS,OTHER INJURIES)

MUCOUS MEMBRANES

DO NOT WEAR ARTIFICIAL NAILS OR NAIL EXTENDERS

WEAR PPE WHEN CONTACT WITH BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDES IS LIKELY

WEAR GLOVES WHEN CONTACT WITH BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS IS LIKELY

REMOVE GLOVES AFTER FINISHED GIVING CARE

DISCARD GLOVES AFTER USE

CHANGE GLOVES IF MOVING FROM CONTAMINATED AREA TO CLEAN AREA ON BODY

REMOVE ALL PPE BEFORE LEAVING THE PATIENT’S ROOM

TREAT SOILED LINEN WITH CARE TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION OF THE SURROUNDING AREA

WEAR GOGGLES OR FACE SHIELD DURING PROCEDURES THAT MAY CAUSE SPLASHES OR SPRAYS OF BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS

FOLLOW AGENCY POLICY FOR CLEANING WORK , PATIENT CARE SURFACES, OR SOILED EQUIPMENT (BED RAILS, WORK SURFACES)

USE A FACE SHIELD TO PERFORM RESCUE BREATHING

A PRIVATE ROOM IS PREFERRED FOR A PERSON AT RISK FOR TRANSMITTING AN INFECTION TO OTHERS

COLLECT ALL NEEDED ITEMS BEFORE ENTERING THE ROOM

REMOVE ITEMS FROM THE ROOM BY PLACING THEM IN PLASTIC BAGS

DOUBLE BAG GARBAGE AND LINEN BEFORE REMOVING FROM THE ROOM

REMOVE REUSABLE DISHES. DISCARD DISPOSABLE DISHES

DO NOT TOUCH YOUR HAIR, NOSE, MOUTH, EYES, OR OTHER BODY PARTS

PLACE CLEAN ITEMS ON A PAPER TOWEL

TELL THE NURSE IF YOU HAVE A SORE THROAT, OPEN SKIN AREAS, CUTS, VOMITING, OR DIARRHEA

CONTACT PRECAUTION

USED TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF INFECTION BY DIRECT CONTACT (TOUCHING THE INFECTED AREA) OR

INDIRECT CONTACT (TOUCHING AN OBJECT THAT HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH AN INFECTED AREA)

DROPLET PRECAUTION

FOR INFECTIONS THAT ARE TRANSMITTED BY DROPLETS GENERATED BY COUGHING, SNEEZING OR TALKING

EXAMPLES : PNEUMONIA, MENINGITIS, DIPHTHERIA, WHOOPING COUGH, MEASLES, MUMPS, STREP INFECTIONS OF THE THROAT

AIRBORNE PRECAUTIONS

USED TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF INFECTIONS CARRIED BY SMALL DROPLETS THAT CAN REMAIN SUSPENDED IN THE AIR AND BE INHALED BY AN UNINFECTED PERSON

EXAMPLES: CHICKEN POX, TUBERCULOSIS, ANTHRAX

PROTECTIVE PROCEDURES ARE THOSE PROCEDURES NECESSARY TO PROTECT YOU FROM, AND PREVENT

THE SPREAD OF INFECTION.

HEALTH CARE FACILITIES MUST PROVIDE WHATEVER PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IS NECESSARY AT NO

CHARGE TO THE EMPLOYEE.

WEAR GLOVES WHENEVER THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF COMING IN CONTACT WITH BLOOD, BODY FLUIDS, NONINTACT SKIN, SECRETIONS, OR EXCRETIONS.

THE OUTSIDE OF THE GLOVES ARE CONSIDERED CONTAMINATED

GLOVES ARE EASIER TO PUT ON WHEN YOUR HANDS ARE DRY

LONG FINGERNAILS AND RINGS CAN TEAR GLOVES

DISCARD GLOVES AFTER USE

PUT ON NEW GLOVES WHENEVER GLOVES BECOME CONTAMINATED WITH BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS

WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER REMOVING GLOVES

WORN WHENEVER THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT YOUR CLOTHING MIGHT COME INTO CONTACT WITH BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS.

GOWNS MUST HAVE LONG SLEEVES THAT FIT TIGHT AT THE WRIST

GOWNS MUST COVER A PERSON FROM THE NECK TO THE KNEES

THE GOWN OPENS AT THE BACK AND IS TIED AT THE NECK AND THE WAIST

THE OUTSIDE OF THE GOWN (FRONT) AND SLEEVES ARE CONSIDERED CONTAMINATED. THE BACK OF THE GOWN IS CONSIDERED CLEAN

GOWNS ARE USED ONCE AND DISCARDED

TO REMOVE THE GOWN

UNTIE THE NECK STRINGS

UNTIE THE WAIST STRINGS

GRASP THE GOWN AT THE INSIDE OF THE SHOULDER

PULL THE GOWN DOWN THE ARMS AS THE SLEEVES ARE TURNED INSIDE OUT

TURN THE GOWN INSIDE OUT

HOLD THE GOWN ON THE INSIDE AS THE OUTSIDE IS CONSIDERED CONTAMINATED

A MASK PREVENTS CONTACT WITH AIRBORNE PARTICLES THAT MAY BE INFECTED.

MASKS ARE DISPOSABLE

A WET OR MOIST MASK IS CONTAMINATED

A MASK SHOULD FIT SNUGLY OVER THE MOUTH AND NOSE

A SPECIAL RESPIRATOR IS WOR WHEN CARING FOR PERSONS WITH TUBERCULOSIS

TO REMOVE A MASK -

REMOVE GLOVES

UNTIE LOWER STRING FIRST, THEN UPPER STRING

PROTECT YOUR EYES, MOUTH, AND NOSE FROM SPLASHING OR SPRAYING OF BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS

THE OUTSIDE OF THE FACE SHIELD AND GOGGLES ARE CONSIDERED CONTAMINATED

EVERYTHING REMOVED FROM AN

ISOLATION ROOM MUST BE DOUBLE BAGGGED.

THE PERSON WEARS A CLEAN GOWN.

AN EXTRA LAYER OF SHEETS IS PLACED ON THE CART OR WHEELCHAIR.

PERSONS ON AIRBORNE AND DROPLET PRECAUTIONS WEAR MASKS.

YOU WEAR A MASK, GOWN, OR GLOVES AS REQUIRED BY THE ISOLATION PRECAUTION.

DO NOT LET ANYONE ELSE ON THE ELEVATOR.

THECART OR WHEELCHAIR IS DISINFECTED AFTER USE.

ITEMS CONTAMINATED WITH BLOOD, BODY FLUIDS, SECRETIONS,

OR EXCRETIONS

PROTECTS WORKERS FROM EXPOSURE TO THE AIDS OR

HEPATITIS VIRUS

INCLUDES ANY ITEM CONTAMINATED WITH BLOOD AND

BODY FLUIDS

MAY THINK ISOLATION IS A FORM OF PUNISHMENT FOR SOMETHING “BAD” THAT THEY DID.

MAY HAVE FEELINGS OF UNWORTHINESS.

MAY HAVE FEWER VISITORS.

REMEMBER, THE PATHOGEN IS UNDESIRABLE, NOT THE PATIENT.

ENCOURAGE COMMUNICATION WHEN YOU ARE IN THE ROOM CARING FOR THE PATIENT.

TREAT THE PERSON WITH RESPECT, KINDNESS, AND DIGNITY.

SAY HELLO FROM THE DOORWAY OFTEN.