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Craven - Ch. 18 - Asepsis & Infection Control

Terms in this set (25)

Agent that stops or slows the growth of microorganisms on living tissue, commonly used for handwashing, skin preparation, and wound packing or irrigation.
antiseptic
Absence of disease-producing microorganisms.
asepsis
Able to kill bacteria.
bactericidal
Able to inhibit the growth of bacteria.
bacteriostatic
Person from whom a microorganism can be cultured but who shows no sign of a disease.
carrier
Chemical used to kill microorganisms on lifeless objects.
disinfectant
Handwashing with soap and water or cleansing the hands with a water-less alcohol-based cleanser to prevent the spread of infection.
hand hygiene
Infections contracted in all healthcare settings and is often used in place of the more commonly known term, nocosocmial infection , which refers only to hospital-acquired infection.
healthcare-associated infection (HAI)
Process resulting from infection that produces manifestations such as fever, leukocytosis, inflammation, or tissue damage.
infectious disease
Techniques used to prevent or to limit the spread of infection.
isolation
Measures taken to control and to reduce the number of pathogens present; also known as "clean technique";measure include handwashing, gloving, gowning, and disinfecting to help contain microbial growth.
medical asepsis
Bacteria and other microorganisms that have developed resistance to antimicrobial drugs
multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs)
Infection acquired during receipt of healthcare.
nosocomial infection
An infection caused by pathogens, particularly opportunistic pathogens—those that take advantage of certain situations—such as bacterial, viral, fungal or protozoan infections that usually do not cause disease in a healthy host (individuals with properly functioning immune systems). A compromised immune system, however, presents an "opportunity" for the pathogen to infect.
opportunistic infections
The organism's ability to harm and to cause disease.
pathogenicity
Microorganism that can harm humans.
pathogen
Techniques or equipment that prevents the transfer of pathogens from one person to another. Also refereed to as "barriers".
personal protective equipment (PPE)
Infectious agents composed primarily of proteins
prions
Poisoning of body tissues; usually refers to blood-borne organisms or their toxic products.
sepsis
Organism's attraction to a specific host, which may include humans.
specificity
The latest CDC isolation system that combines the major features of Universal Precautions (blood-borne transmissions) and Body Substance Isolation (moist body substances transmission), thus protecting against blood and body-fluid transmission of potentially infective agents.
Standard Precautions
(1) Destruction of all bacteria, spores, fungi, and viruses on an item, accomplished by heat, chemicals, or gas.
sterilization
Refers to "sterile technique" in which an object is free of all microorganisms to prevent the introduction or spread of pathogens from the environment into the client; employed when a body cavity is entered with an object that may damage the mucous membranes, wen surgical procedures are preformed, and when the client's immune system is already compromised.
surgical asepsis
When the patient is referred to as septic, it means that he or she is displaying the manifestations of a systematic inflammatory state cause by widespread microbial destruction of tissues. This condition is often accompanied by high fevers, tachycardia, hypotension, and leukocytosis.
systematic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
Vigor with which an organism can grow and multiply.
virulence
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