Fighting Infectious Diseases

Bobby Group		rgroup01@shepherd.edu
	Shepherd University

WV Content Standard WE.4.1.01

Identify responsible health behaviors to avoid the spread of contagious diseases.

Purpose

This lesson was designed by a Shepherd University physical education student for the use of fourth grade physical education students. This webquest can be used anytime a student doesn’t dress, is suspended, is on vacation, or is out of school for an extended period of time.

Description

In this lesson the student will be able to describe the chain of infection and list ways to break the cycle.

The Task

This lesson is designed for fourth grade physical education students and involves research skills along with health components. This lesson can easily be extended to additional grades and subjects.

Prior to this lesson, students must have basic knowledge of illnesses and getting sick. This lesson can be completed without much prior knowledge by the student.

Resources

http://faculty.ccc.edu/tr-infectioncontrol/chain.htm

http://aids.about.com/od/expertadvice/a/infection.htm

Process

The student’s job is to first read the above websites to find out more about the chain of infection. What the student will need to do is to find and create your own version of the chain of infection. In your chain, make sure that they have each step listed and also provide an example for each step. After you complete the cart, they will write a paragraph describing several ways in which the chain of infection can be broken. Once they are finished, have them print out the assignment and hand it in.

Only one class period will be set aside for the completion of this assignment. If the students are unable to finish the webquest in the period, they may finish it at home, if they have a home computer, and bring it the next class meeting. Each student will work by him or herself to complete the assignment.

Assessment/ Evaluation

Each chart will be graded according to completion of the chart and student’s ability to list an example for each link of the chain. The student will also be graded on whether or not they wrote a paragraph and gave examples for breaking the chain of infection. Below is an example of what the student outcome should look like:

Infectious Agent- E.Coli

Reservoir-Large Intestine

Portal of Exit- E. Coli leaves the body in feces

Mode of Transmission- The nurse removed the contaminated linen from the bed. The E. coli organism contaminated the hands of the nurse who then provided morning care to another patient.

Portal of Entry- The second patient receiving care had a Foley catheter. The nurse manipulated the tubing attached to the catheter. The E. coli organism on the nurse's hands contaminated the catheter tubing and ascended to the patient's meatus and then into the urinary bladder.

Susceptible Host- The second patient with a Foley catheter. This patient was elderly and had a chronic illness necessitating complete bed rest. The Foley catheter contaminated by the E. coli organism provided a direct route into the urinary bladder.

The easiest way for this chain to be broken would be for the nurse to wash her hands after handling the linen or for her to wear gloves. If the nurse would have used gloves and eliminated the mode of transmission then the chain would have been broken and no contamination would have occurred.

Area of evaluation	5 points	3 points	0 points	Student Score
Chart	Chart is drawn and each step is listed in the correct order.	Chart is drawn and not all steps are listed, or else steps are listed but in the wrong order.	No chart is drawn
Examples	Correct example is provided for each step.	Examples are not provided for each step, or else examples are incomplete.	No examples are given
Paragraph	Paragraph is complete and correctly describes how chain of infection is broken.	Paragraph is incomplete or does not fully explain how to break the chain.	Paragraph is not attempted.

References

http://faculty.ccc.edu/tr-infectioncontrol/chain.htm

http://aids.about.com/od/expertadvice/a/infection.htm

www.cte.unt.edu/health/curriculum/Chain_of_Infection.ppt

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/271feat3.html

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/

Picture-http://faculty.ccc.edu/tr-infectioncontrol/chain.htm, Truman College, April, 21, 2009

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/8066/mr-yuk.gif, April 21, 2009

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0ogEkynqUKY sickness.jpg, April 21, 2009

http://provisions1816.com/images/chains.jpg, April 21, 2009

http://www.hojomarkham.com/nss-folder/pictures/si_UEw400_goldmedal.gif, April, 21, 2009