infections
...DISEASE. FACTORS: NUMBER OF THE ORGANISMS, DURATION OF THE EXPOSURE, PERSON’S AGE, GENERAL PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL STATE OF THE HOST. * REMOVING ONE LINK IN THE CHAIN OF THE INFECTION PROCESS CONTROLS INFECTION. INFECTION CONTROL 1) HANDWASHING- THE SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INFECTION EFFECTIVE HANDWASHING- WETTING, SOAPING, AND LATHERING, APPLYING FRICTION TO ALL SURFACES OF HANDS, RINSING. REPEAT THE PROCESS A SECOND TIME. WHEN TO WASH HANDS: WHEN COMING ON DUTY, WHEN HANDS ARE SOILED, BETWEEN PATIENTS, BEFORE AND AFTER THEY WIPE OR BLOW THEIR NOSE, AFTER USING THE TOILET, AFTER HANDLING DRESSINGS, CATHETERS, NEEDLES SYRINGES. AT THE END OF DUTY. 2) BARRIER PROTECTION: GLOVE, GOWN, MASK, PROTECTIVE EYE WEAR, ETC., A. GLOVES- DIRECT CONTACT WITH BLOOD OR BODY FLUID CONTACT WITH MUCOUS MEMBRANE NON-INTACT SKIN e.g. CUT, CHAPPED, ABRADED, CRACKED, BROKEN SKIN. WHEN HEALTHCARE WORKER HAS CUTS, SCRATCHES, BREAKS IN THE SKIN ON THE HANDS. ONCE GLOVE IS USED, IT MUST BE DISCARDED BEFORE LEAVING THE PT’S ROOM.. USE GLOVE ONLY ONCE. B. GOWNS- TO BE WORN WITH ACTIVITIES INVOLVING LARGE AMOUNT OF BLOOD OR BODY FLUID. DISCARD IN THE AREAS WHERE THEY WERE USED. C. MASK- TO PROTECT FROM SPLASHING, SPLATTERING OF BLOOD OR BODY FLUID TO MUCOUS MEMBRANES OF THE NOSE/MOUTH. D. PROTECTIVE EYE ...