Download Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL Alexis Young Infection

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Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL
Alexis Young
Infection Control
Bryant Stratton College
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Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL
Chain of infection
The chain of infection includes several steps that must occur in order for the spread of infectious
diseases to begin. The steps taken place while the infectious diseases are being spread is known
as the “infection cycle”. Steps in order includes the infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit,
means of transmission, portal of entry, and the susceptible host. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl.
Morris, 2014).
The infectious agents are microorganisms known as viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites,
and rickettsia. In order for an infections to occur one of the microorganisms must be present. The
reservoir can be people, equipment, food, water, animal and insects. The reservoir is known as
the source of a pathogen, or were the infection is located. The portal of exit may include
secretions, excretions, respiratory droplets and blood/body fluids. The portal of exit is when the
infectious agent leaves the reservoir in order to affect another person. The means of transmission
includes indirect contact, direct contact, bloodborne, airborne or ingestion. The means of
transmission is ways in which microorganisms travel from one place to another depending on the
characteristics of the microorganism. The portal of entry includes non-intact skin, mucous
membranes, and systems such as the reproductive, digestive, and respiratory. The portal of entry
are common entrance sites to the human body. The susceptible host includes individuals who are
elderly, frail, trauma, chronic disease and immunosuppressed. Individuals who does not have the
ability to resist colonization are known as the susceptible host’s. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl.
Morris, 2014).
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Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL
Asepsis
Asepsis is the act of protecting people, places and things against infection caused by
pathogenic microorganisms. It is extremely important that individuals practice the use of asepsis
within the medical field. Asepsis within the medical field is well needed because it help prevents
employees, patients, and visitors from passing infectious agents from way place to another which
can cause individuals to become ill or those who are already ill to become much more severely
ill then before, in some circumstances which can lead to death. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl.
Morris, 2014).
Infection Control Measures in the Medical Laboratory
Infection control measures in the medical laboratory are methods to eliminate or reduce
the transmission of infectious microorganisms. Patients with infections and infectious disease
regularly comes to the medical office for treatment. Medical Assistants goes from patient to
patient performing clinical procedures, such as taking vital signs. Medical Assistants must follow
proper measures such as hand-washing, hands should be washed after every encounter with a
patient, Sanitization, Sanitization should be used before and after using equipment or laboratory
rooms, and proper handling of medical waste, medical waste should be placed in red bags and
into its specific medical waste bin. Medical Assistants avoids infections in the lab by properly
washing instruments that would be used during specific procedures. Also by
sanitizing/disinfecting the laboratory room. . (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014).
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Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL
Infectious Agents
Infectious agents are microorganisms that can be grouped into five classifications. The
infectious agent is the pathogen responsible for a specific infectious disease. The infectious
agents includes bacteria, virus, parasites, and rickettsiae. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris,
2014).
The bacteria microorganisms are microscopic living organisms that are usually on
celled and can be found everywhere. Bacteria can be dangerous, such as when they cause
infections. An infection bacteria can cause is a furuncle which causes a disease called
staphylococcal infection, also known as abscesses. . (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris,
2014).
The virus microorganism are also microscopic organisms that typically consists of a
nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a
host. Viruses can also be dangerous and in some instances can lead to death depending on its
infection. An infection that a virus causes is a liver infection. A disease associated with a liver
infection can be Hepatitis A,B,C,D or E. (Novozymes, 2015).
Parasites are microorganisms that lives within or on another organism, which is its host.
Parasites benefits by deriving nutrients at the host’s expense. Parasites are often harmful to the
body and can cause diseases such as Malaria. Malaria infectious agent is Plasmodium.
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Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL
Rickettsiae is a microorganism of any group of very small bacteria. Like viruses many
rickettsiae can only grow inside living cells, and usually transmitted by mites, ticks, or lice.
Rickettsiae causes disease by damaging blood vessels in various tissues and organs. A disease
rickettsiae cause is typhus. Typhus infectious agent is Rickettsia prowazekii. (MerkManuals,
2015).
Growth of Microorganisms
For microorganisms to survive a suitable environment must be available to them or they
will die. Growth requirements for microorganisms includes, moisture, nutrition, temperature of
approximately 98.6 degrees F, darkness, time, or neutral or slightly alkaline pH. (Lindh, Pooler,
Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014).
Disinfecting and Sanitizing are both methods of removing potentially harmful bacteria
that might not be visible to the naked eye. However in depth disinfections are products that kills
pathogens. Sanitizations are agents removes debre. Sanitization is a chemical process that
lessens and even kills germs on surfaces to make them safe for contact. Sterilization is a term
referring to any process that eliminates, removes or kills all forms of life, including transmissible
agents, such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spore forms, etc. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris,
2014).
Put It All Together
Lisa is a Medical Assistant who works at Cityville Medical Office in Fancytown NY.
Lisa works 7am-3pm Monday through Friday. Lisa responsibility as a medical assistant is to
maneuver from patient to patient collecting information such as vital signs from patients who
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Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL
feel ill or are ill. On May 1st 2015 the office appears to be much more busy than normal. Many
patients coming into the office are complaining of a fever, sneezing, inflammation, diarrhea, or
vomiting. While taking vital signs and tending to the patients Lisa is also using the act of asepsis
to avoid contamination to non-ill individuals and to reduce the spread of infection within the
medical office. Lisa is constantly washing her hands, using personal protective equipment such
as gloves and properly exposing of waste. Lisa also tries her best to separate the sick individuals
from the non-sick individuals. Sanitization of toys and chairs and the disinfectant of medical
rooms are also taking place within Cityville medical office. Two days later Lisa notices she isn’t
feeling well. Lisa complains to her boss of a headache, runny nose and diarrhea. Later that day
Lisa was diagnosed with a nosocomial virus, known as a Urinary Tract infection. Nosocomial is
an hospital acquired infection which may have been transmitted to Lisa while performing her
work procedures. However nosocomial infections can be spread through normal floral
transmissions during an illness, opportunistic pathogens transmitted during debilitated conditions
or through procedures. If sanitization and disinfection was absent within the office, more
employees, visitors, or patients came become extremely ill and encounter diseases by contracting
microorganism within the facility.
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Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL
Reference Page
Lindh, W., Pooler, M., Tamparo, C., Dahl, B., & Morris, J. (2014). Delmars comprehensive medical
assisting administrative and clinical competencies (5th ed.). Clifton Park, New York: Stephen
Helba.
Overview of Rickettsial Infections. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/rickettsiae-and-relatedorganisms/overview-of-rickettsial-infections
What are microorganisms? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.novozymes.com/en/about-us/ourbusiness/what-are-microorganisms/Pages/default.aspx