Every healthcare facility has a variety of PPE available. It is your responsibility to locate the PPE during your orientation to each facility, and to wear it when you anticipate contact with blood or body fluids. A source of the infectious microorganism - this is usually a person, environmental source, or contaminated equipment or device. Contact Transmission - the most significant and frequent mode of transmission of organisms in the health care setting and includes two types of contact transmission. Direct Contact - person to person involving direct contact with an infectious person or infectious materials.
Direct contact can also occur between two patients, or a patient and health care provider.
Indirect Contact - This type of transmission occurs when an infectious organism is carried from the source of transmission to a susceptible host. They can be transmitted by inanimate objects, i.e., surgical instruments, needles, etc., or on contaminated unwashed hands or gloves that were not changed between patients. Droplet Transmission - Droplets carrying an infectious organism are expelled from the source person during coughing, sneezing, talking, and during certain procedures such as suctioning. They can be inhaled by a susceptible host, who may then become infected. Common Vehicle Transmission - Infectious organisms can be transmitted to large numbers of people from a common source, i.e., contaminated food, water, medications, devices or equipment.