Remembering Infection Control Tricks?

[Testa Rosa, RN]

Am having a hard time remembering Airborn vs Droplet vs Contact precautions--anyone know of any good tricks or memory triggers that can help?

Thinking positive thoughts and trying to study but have had one of my three kids home sick all of January. Am only 18% thru Kaplans Qbank and am scoring in the high 60's and have much more studying to do. Need to work on my endro and lab values too.

I'm sitting for NCLEX Feb 20th in California--wish me luck.

Many blessings on your path my fellow nurses. HUGS

[RNsince2010]

I found this from the 'random facts' sticky..REALLY helpful to memorize! It's been helpful for me when I've been practicing Kaplan questions

AIRBORNE

My - Measles

Chicken - Chicken pox

Hez - Herpes zoster

TB - Tuberculosis

DROPLET - Just remember SPIDERMAN

Sepsis

Scarlet fever

Streptococcal pharyngitis

Pertussis

Parvovirus B19

Pneumonia

Influenza

Diptheria (pharyngeal)

Epiglottidis

Rubella

RSV

Mumps

Meningitis

Mycoplasma

Adenovirus

CONTACT - Remember MRS. WEE

Multiresistant drug organisms (MRSA, etc)

Respiratory infections (except those listed previously)

Skin infections

Wound infections

Enteric infections (C. Diff., etc)

Eye infections (conjunctivitis)

SKIN INFECTIONS - Remember VCHIPS

Varicella

Cutaneous diptheria

Herpes simplex

Impetigo

Pediculosis (lice)

Scabies

[Testa Rosa, RN]

Thank you so much--I think one of my best friends from nursing school was trying to give me this very same info a couple weeks ago but I was not ready to process it. Now this info is like GOLD!

[princeza28]

Thank you Bertolozzi.

[jjjoy, LPN]

For me, remembering that much detail just threw me off course on NCLEX-style questions. The question might mention a communicable disease, a situation, & ask what you would do. I'd comb my brain for info on PPE options, contact vs. airborne precautions, or whatever else I thought might be relevant. Then I'd read the answer choices and they'd be completely different... a. call the doctor b. assess pt c. put on full PPE after you enter the room d. educate the patient on preventative measures.... or something like that. Basically, the question would be basic, basic, basic... nursing tests rarely have 'call the MD' as a correct answer, assessing IS the first step in ADPIE and is often a good answer, the particular disease MAY require full PPE but it says "after" entering the room, educate is often a great answer, but look carefully, the question says "what would you do FIRST?" - before educating you'd have to assess the patient's education needs... like that. Ugh! Maybe they've changed NCLEX questions since I took the test back when!

[Testa Rosa, RN]

Nope JJJoy--still the seems like the same random, esoteric, abstract and vague type of questions you are talking about--or at least seems to be based on what I'm studying. Kaplan calls it "Ivory Tower Nursing." Will let you know for sure after the 20th.

[caliotter3]

I found this from the 'random facts' sticky..REALLY helpful to memorize! It's been helpful for me when I've been practicing Kaplan questions

AIRBORNE

My - Measles

Chicken - Chicken pox

Hez - Herpes zoster

TB - Tuberculosis

DROPLET - Just remember SPIDERMAN

Sepsis

Scarlet fever

Streptococcal pharyngitis

Pertussis

Parvovirus B19

Pneumonia

Influenza

Diptheria (pharyngeal)

Epiglottidis

Rubella

RSV

Mumps

Meningitis

Mycoplasma

Adenovirus

CONTACT - Remember MRS. WEE

Multiresistant drug organisms (MRSA, etc)

Respiratory infections (except those listed previously)

Skin infections

Wound infections

Enteric infections (C. Diff., etc)

Eye infections (conjunctivitis)

SKIN INFECTIONS - Remember VCHIPS

Varicella

Cutaneous diptheria

Herpes simplex

Impetigo

Pediculosis (lice)

Scabies

If you memorize just one of these you will be ahead of the game. Good luck.