Communicable disease is a disease caused by pathogens or harmful microbes that can cause infection. Communicable disease spreads easily.
Preventing the spread of infection is the responsibility of all care team members. Nursing assistants must know and follow their facility’s infection prevention policies. These policies help protect staff members, residents/patients, and others from disease.
Nursing Assistant Skill Scenario and Questions
Today’s skill scenario is about “Communicable Disease and Infection Control.”
Here’s the scenario that was given to us by our nursing assistant online class instructor. . .
Several residents in your care have come down with a nasty intestinal virus that causes diarrhea.
One resident, Mrs. Grande, is so weak that she was unable to get out of bed in time and soiled her clothing and bedding.
1. Where is the most likely portal of exit for this pathogen?
2. What steps should you take when cleaning up Mrs. Grande that will help to keep this virus from spreading to other residents, your co-workers and you?
3. List factors that can make a person more likely to get an infection.
Response and Scenario Discussion
Here are my responses to the scenario:
1. Where is the most likely portal of exit for this pathogen?
The gastrointestinal tract through the rectum is the most likely portal of exit.
2. What steps should you take when cleaning up Mrs. Grande that will help to keep this virus from spreading to other residents, your co-workers and you?
Here are the steps that I should take when cleaning up Mrs. Grande:
• Wash my hands with antimicrobial soap and water. Make sure my hands won’t touch the sink. Dry hands with paper towels and discard into the trash.
• Put on clean gloves
• Change Mrs. Grande’s soiled clothes with clean clothes. Make sure Mrs. Grande’s soiled clothes will not touch my clothes or uniform.
• Put the soiled clothes in a leak proof bag and put it in the proper container.
• Roll the linens so that the dirtiest area is inside. Put the soiled linen in a leakproof bag and put it in the proper container. I will be careful that it won’t touch my clothes or uniform.
• Remove gloves. Discard into the trash.
• Wash my hands with antimicrobial soap and water. Dry hands with paper towels and discard into the trash.3. List factors that can make a person more likely to get an infection.
• Doesn’t do handwashing with antimicrobial soap and water
• Touching the infected surfaces without wearing gloves
• Touching the infected surfaces with torn gloves
• Touching an uninfected surfaces with dirty gloves.
• Sharing towels, linens, or clothing
