I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Infection Control

2. Course Prefix & Number:
PNUR 1132

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 1

Lecture Hours: 1

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This course covers scientific concepts related to the causes of infectious diseases, transmission of these diseases and methods of controlling their spread. In addition, the student will study how the human body responds and protects itself from these diseases. This course is repeatable.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

Writing College Level CLC or Writing College Level or Writing Honors College Level

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Ridgewater College, NURS 1000, Foundations of Nursing, 3 credits
Hennepin Technical College, NURS 1143 Infection Control, 1 credit
St. Cloud Technical and Community College, HLTH 1448 Infection Control, 1 credit

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course fulfills a requirement for the following program(s):

Practical Nursing, Diploma

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate written communication skills	Write grammatically correct and appropriately cited written assignments.
Demonstrate reading and listening skills	Demonstrate reading skills through summarization of infection control related newspaper articles.
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations	Describe the control of an epidemic through test questions.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Describe different types of infectious organisms 
• Identify factors contributing to microbial growth and preventative measures
• Describe the benefits and problems of antibiotic use
• Explain the normal flora in the body and its purpose
• Identify the stages of an illness 
• Define the chain of infection 
• Explain infectious diseases, blood borne pathogens, and hospital acquired infections 
• Apply standard precautions and transmission based precautions to client
• Define the body’s immunological responses to pathogens, allergens, injury and shock
• Describe control of the epidemic spread of diseases
• Identify diagnostics and treatments of microorganisms 
• Apply current immunization recommendations to client care 

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Intro to Microbiology
2. Intro to Microbes
• Diversity of Microorganisms
3. Controlling the Growth of Microbes
• Drug Resistance
4. Epidemiology and Public Health
• Chain of Infection
• Breaking the Chain of Infection
• Reservoirs of Infection
• Modes of Transmission
• Public Health Agencies
5. Microbiology within Healthcare Facilities
• Healthcare-Associated Infections
• Infection Control
6. Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases
• Infection vs. Infectious Disease
• Why Infection Does Not Always Occur
• Virulence
7. Nonspecific Host Defense Mechanisms
• First Line of Defense
• Second Line of Defense
8. Specific Host Defense Mechanisms:  Intro to Immunology
• Immune System
• Immunity
• Cells of the Immune System
• Humoral Immunity
• Cell-Mediated Immunity
• Hypersensitivity and Hypersensitivity Reactions
• Autoimmune Diseased
• Immunosuppression