Week 1

Outline principles of infection control in health and social care contexts
Click the card to flip 👆
1 / 24
Terms in this set (24)
Outline principles of infection control in health and social care contexts
- hand hygiene
- respiratory and cough hygiene
- PPE
- safe management of care equipment
- safe management of the environment
- management of laundry
- management of blood and body fluid spills
- waste management
- management of exposure
Demonstrate correct handwashing technique
- wet hands with water
- apply soap
- palm to palm
- back of each hand with opposite palm and fingers interlaced
- rub palm to palm with fingers interlaced
- back of fingers with opposing palms
- each thumb clasped in other hand
- tips of fingers in opposite palm in a circular motion
- rub each wrist with opposite hand
- rinse hands with water
- use elbow to turn off tap
Indicate when and what personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used
most situations:
- surgical mask
- apron
- gloves
- occasionally eye protection

secondary care settings:
- double gloving
- taping of gloves
- wearing an apron over a gown
Indicate the responsibilities of healthcare professionals to minimise risk of transmission of infection
- maintain cleanliness

disposal of waste:
- sharps bin (yellow)
- infectious clinical waste (orange plastic bag)
- non-infectious clinical waste (yellow and black)
- domestic waste (clear or black bag)
- linen (white plastic bag)
- recyclable (green or blue)
Draw key information from the environment regarding a patient's overall condition
- position of patient
- mess/ clutter
- personal hygiene
- is the patient self-ventilating
Systematically observe any patient and make conclusions about their condition
observe:
- general overview
- head and neck
- chest
- abdomen
- upper limbs and hands
- lower limbs and toes
Accurately measure BMI and use BMI charts to categorise a patient into different ranges
use:
- stadiometer (height), bathroom scales (weight)
- weight/height²
Measure the waist circumference of a colleague and explain its significance
- measure around hips and above hips (waist to hip ratio)
- important when assessing risk factors to type 2 diabetes
Understand the different ways of looking at health and disability including the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)
health: free from injury, illness or disability

disability: a physical or mental condition that limits a persons movements, senses or activities
Appreciate that health and disability is socially as much as medically determined
social barriers
- environments being inaccessible (buildings, language, services, communication)

- attitudes of others (prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination)

- organisations (being inflexible for procedures and practices)
Appreciate the variability of disability for different groups of disabled peopleconsider: - age and social history - how disability was acquired - challenges, adjustments, attitudes and perceptionsConsider person-centred treatment and how this might be adopted in practice- empathy - effective communication - active listening - facilitating responsesTo describe the key findings of sociological research examining the constituents of lay health beliefs- discover the rules and meanings that different social groups use to order their lives and make sense of their experience of health and illness - conceptual models used by individuals, communities or cultures to explain how to maintain health and to provide explanation for illnessTo explain the relationship between lay health beliefs and patient compliance with clinical treatmentfactors that influence patient compliance with clinical treatment: - demographic factors (age, gender) - patient knowledge - psychosocial factors - patient compliance - lay referral systemTo describe the key features of the 'help-seeking' behaviour model- accessibility to health facilities - quality of medical care - attitude of health workersDescribe the importance of both innate and adaptive immune systemsInnate: - physical barriers against infection - not specialised for specific pathogens Adaptive: - activates if innate immune system is unsuccessful - composed of highly specialised systemic cells and processes that eliminate or prevent pathogenic growth (inflammation, antibody production)Describe the differences between innate and adaptive immune systems naming the cells and molecules involved in eachinnate: - macrophages - neutrophils - eosinophils - basophils - mast cells - dendritic cells adaptive: - b lymphocytes - t lymphocytes - t helper cells - cytotoxic t cellsList and describe the role of innate protective factors acting as barriers to infection- neutrophils, macrophages and dendritic cells phagocytise pathogens - basophils and mast cells release chemicals that trigger inflammation - natural killer cells destroy cancerous or infected cells - eosinophins kill parasites - physical barriers: skin and mucusDescribe the function of T lymphocytes- develop from stem cells in bone marrow - help to protect body from infection - promote the activity of other immune cellsDescribe the function of B lymphocytes- produce antibodies - pathogens bind to pathogens or foreign bodies to neutralise themDefine phagocytosis and describe the function of phagocytic cells.phagocytosis: - when phagocytes ingest or engulf other cells or particles - phagocytic cells surround and kill microorganisms, ingest foreign material and remove dead cellsDescribe the characteristics of the main phagocytic cellsmonocytes and macrophages: - initiate and resolves inflammation - through phagocytosis, release inflammatory cytokines and activate acquired immune systemDescribe the importance of phagocytic cells in destroying pathogens.- phagocytes surround pathogens in blood and engulf them - attracted to pathogens and bind to them - surround pathogens and enzymes found inside cells and break down the pathogen - important for ingestion and elimination of pathogensUnderstand the importance of phagocytosis in the removal of dead cells- stop excessive and damaged cells from accumulating - protect the body - produce substances that attract other cells to the site