Objectives

Objectives

Studying and applying the material in this chapter will help you to:

* Understand and explain the importance of infection control practices in maintaining the safety of the health care worker, patients, and others

* List the milestones that led to the development of germ theory and infection control

* Identify the five types of microbes and give examples of infectious diseases caused by each type

* Describe the chain of infection and list methods the health care worker can use to break it

* Give examples of the body’s defense mechanisms

* Describe the CDC and OSHA and explain their roles in health care safety

* Identify the preventive procedures included in the Standard Precautions

* Identify situations when handwashing is indicated and demonstrate the technique

* Identify the three types of transmission-based precautions and when they may be used

* Describe neutropenic precautions and when they would be utilized

* Explain the differences between antiseptics, disinfectants, and sterilization

* Identify and describe the three major disease risks for health care workers

* Describe how pathogens become drug resistant and the impact this has in health care

* Describe measures that will protect the health care worker and others from blood-borne pathogens