NHSN
National Healthcare Safety Network: Helps facilities reduce HealthCare Associated Infections (HAI's)
viability
ability of a microbe to survive on an object
virulence
degree to which a microbe is capable of causing disease
SDS
Safety Data Sheets
asepsis
a condition of being free of contamination or germs (microbes) that could cause disease
BBP
BloodBorne Pathogen
biohazard
biological hazard: anything potentially harmful to health
CDC
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention : division or the US public health service charged with the investigation and control of disease with epidemic potential
chain of infection
a number of components or events that, when present in a series, lead to an infection
engineering controls
devices such as sharps disposal containers and needles with safety features that isolate or remove a blood borne pathogen hazard from the workplace
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency: a federal agency that regulates the disposal of hazardous waste
fire tetrahedron
the latest way of looking at the chemistry of fire, in which the chemical reaction that produces fire is added as a fourth component to the traditional fire triangle components of fuel, heat, and oxygen
fomites
inanimate objects, such as countertops and computer keyboards that can harbor material containing infectious agents
HAI
Healthcare Associated Infection: applies to infections associated with healthcare delivery in any healthcare setting, including home care
HBV
Hepatitis B Virus
HCS
Hazard Communication Standard: The OSHA standard that requires employees to maintain documentation on all hazardous chemicals
HCV
Hepatitis C Virus
HICPAC
Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee: federal organization that advises the CDC on updating guidelines regarding the prevention of nosocomial infections
HIV
Human Immunodeficiency Virus : virus that causes AIDS
immune
protected from or resistant to a particular disease or infection because of the development of antibody through vaccination or recovery from the disease
infectious/causative agent
the pathogen responsible for causing an infection
isolation procedures
procedures intended to separate patients with certain transmissible infections from contact with others
microbe
short for microorganism; a microscopic organism or that is not visible to the naked eye
neutropenic
pertaining to an abnormally small number of neutrophils in the blood
NIOSH
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness
nosocomial infection
an infection acquired in a healthcare facility
OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Administration: US government agency that mandates and enforces safe working conditions for employees
parenteral
routes other than the digestive tract by which healthcare workers can be exposed to biohazards
pathogenic
capable of causing disease
pathogens
microbes capable of causing disease
percutaneous
through the skin
permucosal
through mucous membranes
pictogram
an easily recognized and universally accepted symbol
PPE
Personal Protective Equipment (clothing)
reservoir
the source of an infectious microorganism
reverse isolation
same as protective isolation: type of isolation in which protective measures are taken to keep HC workers and others from transmitting infection to a patient who is highly susceptible to infection
standard precautions
precautions intended to minimize the risk of infection transmission when caring for all patients regardless of their status. They apply to blood, all body fluids, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes
susceptible host
an individual who has little resistance to an infectious agent
transmission-based precautions
precautions used in addition to standard precautions for patients known or expected to be infected or colonized with highly transmissible or epidemiologically significant pathogens
vector transmission
transmission or an infectious agent by an insect, anthropod, or animal
vehicle transmission
transmission of an infectious agent through contaminated food, water, drugs, or the transfusion of blood
work practice controls
practices that alter the manner in which a task is performed so as to reduce the likelihood of blood borne pathogen exposure