Protecting yourself and your clientele from bloodborne pathogen exposure is easily done by following a few common sense precautions. Most workplaces have their own protocol for bloodborne pathogen safety. If so, this should be followed to the letter. A quality bloodborne pathogen control plan should include the following details:
• Outline of different risk levels for certain types of employees
• Work training requirements
• Work practice controls
• Engineering controls
• Procedure when exposure to bloodborne pathogens occurs
Making sure that you use your personal protective equipment properly will go a long way toward keeping yourself free of infection. PPE will protect potential portals of entry and portals of exit which cuts down on the risk of becoming infected. Your workplace should provide you with adequate PPE to carry out your job functions. Make sure you know where the personal protective equipment is at your workplace. Keep equipment sterile and clean by applying right before your job task.
TYPES OF PPE
• Face masks
• Gloves
• CPR shields
• Gowns
• Goggles or other eye protection
When there is a risk of being exposed to bloodborne pathogens avoid smoking, drinking, putting on makeup or handling contact lenses, as these activities involve touching the mucous membranes of the face which are more sensitive to becoming infected. Handling waste and trash is also key to avoiding infection. Never press down on trash to compress it as this exposes you to bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. When disposing of a trash bag,carry the bag away from your body and use gloves.
HANDLING CONTAMINATED LAUNDRY
• Wear gloves and any other necessary PPE before touching soiled laundry items
• Gather contaminated laundry at its location in a bag or other secure receptacle.
• Wet laundry should be gathered in a leak proof bag to avoid contamination from drips
• Soiled laundry bags should be properly labeled for safety
In 2000 the Needlestick Prevention Act (NSPA) mandated additional safety requirements for employees and the use of safer devices designed to minimize the chance of being stuck by a needle or other sharps. Following safety requirements for hazardous waste at all times is a must for anyone working with a risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL
• Do not bend or break needles
• Do not recap needles unless you can do so with one hand
• Liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) should be disposed of in a container labeled "biohazard"
• Disposed needles should be placed in a puncture-resistant receptacle
• Biohazard containers should be orange or red and labeled with the biohazard symbol for proper identification
• Follow any workplace procedures for disposal of hazardous waste items
Cleaning up after an area has become exposed to contaminants should follow certain steps. Be sure to use disinfectants that are strong enough to kill bloodborne pathogens.
CLEANING PROTOCOL
• Wear gloves and other PPE
• A solution of 1:10, 1 part bleach to 9 parts water is effective in killing infectious pathogens
• If no bleach is available, an EPA-registered cleaning solution that can kill HIV and hepatitis virus microorganisms is acceptable
• Body fluid spill kits are also acceptable for cleaning and disinfecting
• Absorb fluid with towels
• Do not pick up sharp items with your hands; use tongs, dustpan or other equipment
• After removing excess liquid and waste, spray contaminated area with disinfectant and let sit for several minutes
• After time has passed, dry area with disposable towels
• Place disposable towels in regular waste bin
Keeping your hands' clean will limit the spread of bloodborne pathogens and other infections. Wash your hands long enough to disrupt the molecular bond of the microscopic organism. This is typically 20-30 seconds. An area where contamination happens often is when gloves are removed. Follow the proper procedures for removing your gloves each and every time you wear them.
REMOVING SOILED GLOVES
• Carefully grab the cuff of the glove on your opposite hand
• Pull the glove so that it turns inside out
• Hold the used glove inside the hand that is still gloved
• With your bare hand, carefully peel the glove off the other hand so that it is inside out
• As you peel the glove down, the used glove will end up inside of it
• Dispose of gloves
WASH YOUR HANDS CORRECTLY
• Dampen hands with water and apply soap
• Using a brisk action rub all surfaces of the hands to create a lather
• Lather hands for 20-30 seconds
• Rinse all soap from hands
• Dry hands with a disposable towel or air dryer
• Use a disposable towel to grab the faucet handle and turn off the water
Let's go over everything we have learned in this lesson. It's valuable to review the highlights of the recently absorbed information to help the new knowledge stick. We hope you're enjoying the course so far and we'll see you in the next lesson.
TYPES OF PPE
• Face masks
• Gloves
• CPR shields
• Gowns
• Goggles or other eye protection
DISPOSING OF SHARPS AND HAZARDOUS ITEMS
• Do not bend or break needles
• Disposed needles should be placed in a puncture-resistant receptacle
• Biohazard containers should be orange or red and labeled with the biohazard symbol for proper identification
• A solution of 1:10, 1 part bleach to 9 parts water is effective in killing infectious pathogens
• Do not pick up sharp items with your hands; use tongs, dustpan or other equipment
• After removing excess liquid and waste, spray contaminated area with disinfectant and let sit for several minutes
WASH YOUR HANDS CORRECTLY
• Dampen hands with water and apply soap
• Using a brisk action rub all surfaces of the hands to create a lather
• Lather hands for 20-30 seconds
• Rinse all soap from hands
• Dry hands with a disposable towel or air dryer
• Use a disposable towel to grab the faucet handle and turn off the water
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