Glossary of Terms

Additional Precautions: Specific precautions (i.e. Contact, Droplet and Airborne) which are carried out, in addition to Routine Practices, for specific organisms or clinical presentations. Additional Precautions may include the physical separation from other individuals and / or the use of personal protective equipment (e.g. gown, gloves, mask / N95 respirator, eye protection) to prevent or limit the transmission of potentially infectious agent(s) from colonized or infected individuals to others.

Aerosolization: The process of creating very small droplets (approximately < 5 microns in size) that may carry microorganisms. The aerosolized droplets may be light enough to remain suspended in the air for short periods of time, allowing inhalation of the microorganisms.

Airborne Precautions: Type of Additional Precautions (negative pressure room with door closed and fit-tested N95 respirator) used to prevent or limit the transmission of potentially infectious agents through airborne droplet nuclei or small particles that may be dispersed over long distances by air currents.

Client / Patient: Any person receiving health care within a health care setting.

Cohorting of Clients / Patients: The sharing of a room or ward by two or more clients / patients who are either colonized or infected with the same microorganism.

Colonization: The presence and growth of a microorganism in or on a body but without tissue invasion or cellular injury. The patient will be asymptomatic.

Contact Precautions: Type of Additional Precautions (gloves and gown) used to prevent or limit the transmission of potentially infectious agents via contact with an infected / colonized person, contaminated objects or equipment.

Contamination: The presence of a potentially infectious agent on a body surface, clothes, gowns, gloves, bedding, toys, surgical instruments, dressings or other inanimate objects (e.g. bedrails, bedside tables, bedpans, walkers, commodes, slings, mechanical lifts, etc).

Disseminated: Scattered or distributed over a considerable area throughout an organ or the body.

Droplet Precautions: Type of Additional Precautions (mask and eye protection) used to prevent or limit the transmission of potentially infectious agents through respiratory secretions by contact with the mucous membranes of the eye, nose and mouth, when providing care within 2 meters of the client / patient.

Hand Hygiene: A general term refering to any action of hand cleaning. Hand hygiene relates to the removal of visible soil and removal or killing of transient microorganisms from the hands. Hand hygiene may be accomplished using soap and running water or an alcohol-based hand rub.

Health Care-associated Infection (HAI): A term relating to an infection that is acquired during the delivery of health care (also known as "nosocomial infection”).

Health Care Provider: Any person conducting activities within a health care setting that will bring him / her into contact with clients / patients or their environment including emergency medical services, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, students, support services, housekeeping, maintenance, volunteers, contract workers, etc.

Immunocompromised: The state of a person who has a deficiency in the body’s normal defense mechanism that makes him / her more susceptible to infections.

Infection: The entry and multiplication of an infectious agent in the tissues of the host. Asymptomatic or subclinical infection is an infectious process running a course similar to that of clinical disease but below the threshold of clinical symptoms. Symptomatic or clinical infection is one resulting in clinical signs and symptoms (disease).

Infection Prevention and Control: Evidence-based practices and procedures, when applied consistently in health care settings, can prevent or reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms to health care providers, other clients / patients and visitors.

Infection Prevention and Control Professional (ICP): A trained individual responsible for a health care setting’s infection prevention and control activities, such as the designated infection prevention and control expert in the facility, or an individual with specific infection prevention and control training and expertise.

Outbreak: An increase in the number of cases (colonization and / or infection) above the number normally occurring in a particular health care setting over a defined period of time.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Clothing or equipment worn by health care providers for protection against hazards (e.g. gown, gloves, mask / N95 respirator, face / eye protection, etc).

Precautions: Interventions to reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms (e.g. patient-to-patient, patient-to-staff, staff-to-patient, contact with the environment and equipment).

Risk Assessment: An evaluation by the health care provider of the patient / client, their environment, type of contact and the task or procedure to be performed in order to identify hazards and risks associated with exposure to potentially harmful infectious diseases, blood, body fluids, respiratory secretions, excretions, non-intact skin, mucous membranes, body tissues and contaminated equipment.

Routine Practices: The system of infection prevention and control practices recommended by the Public Health Agency of Canada to be used by all health care providers with all clients / patients during all care to prevent and control transmission of microorganisms in health care settings.