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Break the Chain of Infection |
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January 10, 2018 |
By Connie Sue Clum, RN, MSN
Infection Prevention Nurse
Boundary Community Hospital
Deep in the heart of winter, it is an excellent
time to remind everyone that each of you play an
important role in infection prevention.
Despite the variety of viruses and bacteria,
germs spread from person to person through a
common series of events. Therefore, to prevent
germs from infecting more people, we must break
the chain of infection.
No matter the germ, there are six points at
which the chain can be broken and a germ can be
stopped from infecting another person. The six
links include:
• The infectious agent is the pathogen (germ) that causes the disease.
• The reservoir is the place in the environment where the pathogen lives.
This includes people, animals and insects,
medical equipment, your countertop or any object
in your home, soil and water.
• The portal of exit is the way the infectious agent leaves the
reservoir. This could be through open wounds,
aerosols, and the splatter of body fluids
including coughing, sneezing, and saliva.
• The means of transmission is the way the infectious agent can be passed
on. This could be through direct contact like
touching, ingestion into the stomach, or
inhalation into the nasal cavity or lungs.
• The portal of entry is the way the infectious agent can enter a new
host. In contrast to the means of transmission
(which is the movement of the germ from the
object to you or another person), the portal of
entry is the actual entering of the body. This
can be through broken skin, the respiratory
tract (nose or lungs), mucous membranes
(including the urine), and catheters and tubes.
• Lastly, the susceptible host can be any person. The most vulnerable are
those receiving healthcare, are
immunocompromised, or have invasive medical
devices including lines, devices, and airways.
Imagine all of these links in a circle. A germ
can travel around this circle very quickly.
The way to stop germs from spreading is by
interrupting this chain, or circle, at any spot.
There are many ways to do this.
Here are some common sense tips to interrupt the
chain and reduce your chances of spreading
germs:
• The most important is cleaning your hands frequently. You can use hand
sanitizer but the best way to clean your hands
is soap and water.
• Getting your flu shot annually. If you are over 65, you can get the
Prevnar 13 (recommended to get first) or the
Pneumovax vaccines to help prevent pneumonia.
• Covering coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick are other
important ways of stopping the spread of germs.
Did you know coughing or sneezing into your
elbow or shoulder is one of the best ways to
cover your cough?
• At home, cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces is important.
High touch surfaces are items like countertops,
sink and toilet seat handles, computer keyboards
or any other surfaces that you touch frequently
with your hands.
Be honest: Have you ever used your scarf or
gloves to wipe your nose or cover a sneeze/cough
when a tissue wasn’t available? Oh, my! And then
with your runny nose-contaminated glove, you
touch a steering wheel, doorknob, or seat — all
the time spreading the germs to others.
Remember to wash your gloves and scarves on a
regular basis, preferably once per week or when
soiled. Most germs will survive for two or three
days on inanimate objects, some longer. They
don’t have to look soiled or smell bad to be
loaded with germs either!
Stopping the spread of germs is key to staying
healthy. Interrupting the chain at some point on
the link will keep you healthier this year.
Now you are an Infection Preventionist too! |
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