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Ch. 27 sec H
infection control vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| airborne transmission | transmission of microorganisms by evaporated droplets or dust particles moving through the air |
| bacteria(sing. bacterium) | single-celled, microscopic organisms. some are beneficial to humans, while others cause disease. |
| barriers | personal protective equipment, such as gloves, gowns, masks, and goggles, designed to prevent contact with the blood or body fluids of patients |
| carrier | a person who has a disease that can be passed on to others but who does not display signs or symptoms of the disease |
| causative agent | in the chain of infection, the pathogen that causes the infection or disease |
| chain of infection | the process by which an infectious disease is transmitted to and develops in a persons body. |
| clean | referring to an object or area not contaminated by pathogens, though not necessarily sterile. |
| communicable | refers to a disease that can be spread from one person to another, either directly or through an animal or object; infectious |
| contact transmission | transfer of microorganisms by contact with body surfaces or contaminated objects. |
| contaminated | not clean; dirtied by contact with living microorganisms. |
| cultural awareness | the ability to identify and include the patients cultural needs in the plan of care. |
| dirty | referring to an object or area that has been contaminated by pathogens. |
| disinfection | a cleaning process that destroys most microorganisms through the use of certain chemicals or boiling water. |
| droplet transmission | transmission of microorganisms through the air by sneezing, talking, or coughing. |
| exposure | unprotected contact with pathogens or material that may be contaminated, such as medical instruments or body fluids. |
| flora | microorganisms normally present in or on the human body. |
| fomite | any object that is contaminated with pathogens and can transmit disease. |
| fungi(sing. fungus) | microscopic, single- celled or multicelled plants that can cause disease. |
| infection | the invasion and growth of disease-causing microorganisms in the body |
| infectious | referring to a disease that can spread; communicable |
| isolation | specific procedures and precautions designed to prevent a patient from infecting others or being infected by others; may involve housing the patient in a separate room. |
| medical asepsis | practices and procedures to maintain a clean environment by removing or destroying disease-causing organisms; also called clean technique. |
| microorganisms | living things so small that they can only be seen with a microscope; also called microbes or, more commonly, germs. |
| mucus | sticky substance secreted by mucous membranes in the lunges, nose, and other parts of the body, which provides lubrication and helps to trap and kill microorganisms. |
| nosocomial infection | an infection acquired while in a health care facility. |
| pathogens | microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses, that can cause disease. |
| portal of entry | in the chain of infection, the means by which the pathogen enters the host body. |
| portal of exit | in the chain of infection, the means by which the pathogen leaves the reservoir. |
| protozoa(sing. protozoan) | single-celled, microscopic animals, usually living in water, that can cause disease. |
| reservoir of the agent | in the chain of infection, the place where a pathogen (agent) can live and reproduce, such as in a person who has the disease, an animal or a formite. |
| route of transmission | in the chain of infection, the way a pathogen is transmitted from the reservoir to the new hosts body. |
| sharps | needles, scalpels, razor blades and any other sharp, potentially dangerous object used in a health care facility. |
| standard precautions | guidelines applying to the care of all patients, no matter what their known infection status is; every patient is treated as if he or she were potentially infectious. |
| staph(staphylococcus) | a type of bacteria that is a common cause of infection. |
| sterile | free from all microorganisms, both pathogenic and nonpathogenic. |
| sterilization | a cleaning process that kills all microorganisms, including spores. |
| strep(streptococcus) | a type of bacteria that is a common cause of chest and throat infections. |
| susceptible host | in the chain of infection, the host is the individual who acquires the pathogen; if the host is susceptible, or unable to resist the pathogen, the pathogen begins to reproduce and causes infection. |
| terminal cleaning | thorough cleaning of the patient unit after the patient is discharged. |
| transmission-based precautions | isolation precautions used when caring for patients having a known contagious disease cause by an identified pathogen. |
| virus | the smallest known living infectious agent. |
Created by:
sno413
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