Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Home Nursing/Answer Key"

Revision as of 13:36, 10 July 2006

Infection control and health care epidemiology is the discipline concerned with preventing the spread of infections within the health-care setting. As such, it is a practical (rather than an academic) sub-discipline of epidemiology. It is an essential (though often underrecognized and undersupported) part of the infrastructure of health care. Infection control and hospital epidemiology are akin to public health practice, practiced within the confines of a particular health-care delivery system rather than directed at society as a whole.

Infection control concerns itself both with prevention (hand hygiene/hand washing, cleaning/disinfection/sterilization, vaccination, surveillance) and with investigation and management of demonstrated or suspected spread of infection within a particular health-care setting (e.g. outbreak investigation).

Prevention of Infection in the Health Care setting

Hand Hygiene

Since the days of Ignaz Semmelweis, hand washing has been known to decrease the transmission of infectious diseases. see Hand washing for additional details.

Cleaning, disinfection and sterilization (microbiology)

Vaccination of health care workers

Surveillance for emerging infections

Outbreak investigation

Training in infection control and health care epidemiology

Practitioners can come from several different educational streams. Many begin as nurses, some as medical technologists (particularly in clinical microbiology), and some as physicians (typically infectious disease specialists). Specialized training in infection control and health care epidemiology are offered by the professional organizations described below. Physicians who desire to become infection control practitioners often are trained in the context of an infectious disease fellowship.

Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology is an organization that certifies infection control practitioners based on their educational background and professional experience, in conjunction with testing their knowledge base with standardized exams. The credential awarded is CIC, Certification in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

A course in hospital epidemiology (infection control in the hospital setting) is offered jointly each year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

Professional organizations

Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology is primarily composed of infection control practitioners with nursing or medical technology backgrounds

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America is more heavily weighted towards practitioners who are physicians or doctoral-level epidemiologists.

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-{{Merge|Hand warmer}}
+'''Infection control and health care epidemiology'''
-A '''heating pad''' is a pad used for warming of parts of the body in order to manage [[pain]]. Localized application of heat causes the blood vessels in that area to [[dilate]], enhancing [[perfusion]] to the targeted tissue. Such pads are now usually [[electric|electrical]] or [[chemical]], though in the past "hot water bottles" were used and sometimes still are.
+is the discipline concerned with preventing the spread of infections within the health-care setting.
+As such, it is a practical (rather than an academic) sub-discipline of [[epidemiology]].
+It is an essential (though often underrecognized and undersupported) part of the infrastructure of health care.
+Infection control and hospital epidemiology are akin to [[public health]] practice, practiced within the confines of a particular health-care delivery system rather than directed at society as a whole.
-Electric pads usually operate from household current and must have protections against overheating. Chemical pads employ a chemical heat reservoir (see below) or a one-time chemical reaction such as [[catalyst|catalyzed]] [[rusting]] of [[iron]].
+Infection control concerns itself both with prevention (hand hygiene/hand washing, cleaning/disinfection/sterilization, vaccination, surveillance) and with investigation and management of demonstrated or suspected spread of infection within a particular health-care setting (e.g. outbreak investigation).
-==Types==
+==Prevention of Infection in the Health Care setting==
-A '''sodium acetate heat pad''' contains a supersaturated solution of [[sodium acetate]] (CH<sub>3</sub>COONa) that heats when you start the [[crystallisation]] process by clicking the piece of metal that is in the liquid.
+===Hand Hygiene===
+Since the days of [[Ignaz Semmelweis]], hand washing has been known to decrease the transmission of infectious diseases.  see [[Hand washing]] for additional details.
-Because the liquid is [[supercooled]], i.e. the temperature of the solution is below its [[crystallisation point]], clicking makes it crystallise suddenly thereby releasing the energy of the crystal lattice.  See [[sodium acetate]] for a more technical discussion.
+===Cleaning, [[disinfection]] and [[sterilization (microbiology)]]===
+===Vaccination of health care workers===
+===Surveillance for emerging infections===
+==Outbreak investigation==
-The heat required for crystallisation is retained when the temperature drops and the solution becomes supersaturated. The heat is released on solidification, which is triggered by flexing a (patented[http://www.sfu.ca/physics/ugrad/courses/teaching_resources/demoindex/thermal/th4c/patentheatpack.html]) small flat disc of notched [[ferrous]] metal which releases very tiny adhered crystals of sodium acetate [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/108065684/ABSTRACT] into the solution which then act as nucleation sites for the recrystallization of the remainder of the salt solution.
+==Training in infection control and health care epidemiology==
+Practitioners can come from several different educational streams. Many begin as nurses, some as medical technologists (particularly in clinical microbiology), and some as physicians (typically infectious disease specialists). Specialized training in infection control and health care epidemiology are offered by the professional organizations described below. Physicians who desire to become infection control practitioners often are trained in the context of an infectious disease fellowship.
-To reuse the pad it is placed in boiling water for 15 minutes (however a few models dissolve in 10 minutes) which redissolves the sodium acetate in its own water of crystalisation.  Once the pad has returned to room temperature it can be triggered again.
+[http://www.cbic.org Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology] is an organization that certifies infection control practitioners based on their educational background and professional experience, in conjunction with testing their knowledge base with standardized exams. The credential awarded is CIC, Certification in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
-A '''microwavable heating pad''' is a heating pad that is warmed by placing it in a [[microwave oven]] before use.  Microwavable heating pads are typically made out of a thick insulative fabric such as flannel and filled with grains such as [[buckwheat]] or [[flax seed]].  Due to their relative simplicity to make, they are frequently sewn by hand, often with a custom shape to fit the intended area of use.
+A [http://www.shea-online.org/about/shea_courses.cfm course] in hospital epidemiology (infection control in the hospital setting) is offered jointly each year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
-Often, [[aroma compound|aromatic compound]]s will also be added to the filler mixture to create a pleasant or soothing smell when heated.  The source of these can vary significantly, ranging from adding [[essential oil]]s to ground up [[spices]] such as [[clove]]s and [[nutmeg]], or even dried [[rose]] petals.
+==Professional organizations==
+[http://www.apic.org Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology] is primarily composed of infection control practitioners with nursing or medical technology backgrounds
-A '''moist heating pad''' is a heating pad that is used to dry the users skin. These pads register temperatures from 170 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit (76 to 82 °C) and are intended for deep tissue treatment and should never be left turned on unattended. Mainly used by physical therapists but can be found for home use.
+[http://shea-online.org The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America] is more heavily weighted towards practitioners who are physicians or doctoral-level epidemiologists.
-== Function ==
-Many episodes of pain come from [[muscle]] exertion or strain, which creates tension in the muscles and [[soft tissue]]s.  This tension can constrict [[circulatory system|circulation]], sending pain signals to the [[brain]].  Heat application eases pain by:
-* dilating the [[blood vessel]]s surrounding the painful area.  Increased [[blood]] flow provides additional [[oxygen]] and nutrients to help heal the damaged muscle tissue.
-* stimulating sensation in the [[skin]] and therefore decreasing the pain signals being transmitted to the brain
-* increasing the flexibility (and decreasing painful stiffness) of soft tissues surrounding the injured area, including muscles and [[connective tissue]].
-As many heating pads are portable, heat may be applied as needed at home, at work, or while traveling.  Some physicians recommend alternating heat and [[ice]] for [[pain management|pain relief]].  ''As with any pain treatment, a physician should be consulted prior to beginning treatment.''
-== References ==
-* [http://www.spine-health.com/topics/conserv/heat_therapy/heat_therapy01.html Benefits of heat therapy for lower back pain]
-==External links==
-* [http://www.thermophore.com/ Moist Heat Pad] Professional Heating Pads and Information
-*[http://www.medicalsupplygroup.com/heat-and-cold-therapy.html Effective Use of Heat and Cold Therapy]
-{{Treatment-stub}}
-[[Category:Medical treatments]]
-[[de:Wärmekissen]]
-[[nl:Natriumacetaat-verwarmertje]]