Safety and Healthcare Precautions

Explain the current requirements of standard precautions and the procedures used at a variety of healthcare facilities to support those standards.

Competency 2

• Standard precautions are designed for preventing the transmission

of blood-borne diseases when first aid or health care is provided.

• The precautions include specific recommendations for use of

gloves, gowns, masks, and protective eyewear when contact with

blood or body secretions containing blood is anticipated.

• The goal of these techniques is to prevent the spread of

communicable diseases in healthcare facilities and microorganisms

among patients, personnel and visitors.

Standard Precautions

These precautions are:• Hand decontamination

• Personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Safe handling and disposal of sharps

• Safe disposal of clinical waste

• Safe handling of contaminated linen

• Correct dealing with spillages of blood and body fluids

Standard Precautions

Transmission-based precautions are designed to

supplement standard precautions in patients

documented or suspected to be infected.

Transmission-based Precautions

There are three types of transmission-based precautions:

1. Airborne generated when talking, coughing or sneezing and during procedures involving the respiratory tract.

2. Droplets requires close contact between the infected source and the recipient.

3. Contact requires direct or indirect contact.

Transmission-based Precautions

OHSA Blood borne Pathogens Standards: • Are a set of precautions designed to prevent

transmission of HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and other blood borne pathogens when providing first aid or health care.

• Under universal precautions, blood and certain body fluids of all patients are considered potentially infectious for HIV, HBV and other blood borne pathogens.

OHSA Blood Borne Pathogens Standards

Precautions include:• blood • bodily fluids containing visible blood • semen • vaginal fluid • cerebrospinal • needles, scalpels and other sharp instruments

OHSA Blood Borne Pathogens Standards

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used by healthcare

providers to protect themselves from injury or infection.

PPE is any type of face mask, glove, or clothing that acts as a

barrier between infectious materials and the skin, mouth, nose, or

eyes.

When used properly, personal protective equipment can help

prevent the spread of infection from one person to another.

PPE: Personal Protective Equipment

Employers are required to develop and make available an Exposure Control Plan (ECP). The plan is in place to protect employees from health hazards associated with blood borne pathogens and provide appropriate treatment and counseling if an exposure incident occurs.

Know where your exposure control plan is located and what it includes.

Exposure Control Plan

Exposure Control Plan

The exposure control plan includes

detailed information about ways an employer provides a safe and healthful work

environment, including:

• Who is responsible for implementing the plan

• Determination of employee exposure

• Methods of exposure control such as Universal Precautions, engineering and

work practice controls, personal protective equipment (PPE), and housekeeping

• Hepatitis B vaccination

• Post exposure evaluation and follow-up for evaluating the circumstances

surrounding an exposure incident

• Communication of hazards to employees

• Training and recordkeeping

Exposure Control Plan

Employers are required to implement a variety of preventive

measures to reduce or eliminate the risk of exposure to blood

borne pathogens, including Universal Precautions, work

practice controls, PPE, engineering controls, and vaccination.

Chain of Infection

Ways to break the chain:

• Hand washing• Gloves• Gown• Eye and face protection• Environmental controls • Change linens • Aseptic practices• Disinfectants• Sterilization methods • Application of standard precautions

• Hepatitis B and C• HIV• Tuberculosis• Flu• Pneumonia

Common Pathogens in Healthcare Facilities

What is RACE?• Remove patients• Activate alarm/ alert all staff• Contain fire/ confine fire• Extinguish fire or evacuate area

RACE method is used for fire emergencies in a healthcare facility. RACE gives all the steps needed to put in action when fire occurs in the workplace.

RACE

What is PASS?• Pull the pin• Aim the nozzle at base of fire• Squeeze the handle• Sweep back and forth along the base of fire

PASS give you the exact steps to take when sing a fire extinguisher. PASS is used after RACE.

PASS Methods

Common Safety Precautions

Moving safely:Moving unsafely easily gives mistakes a chance to happen. A first instinct during an emergency maybe to run or move fast.......MISTAKE!!! Running or moving fast may cause a fall or other injuries.

Dressing safely:Dressing safely insures containment of viruses or diseases. Dressing safely also ensures the patient is going to get good care.

Common Safety Precautions

Protecting yourself and others:Wearing gloves and practicing hand washing can protect from various viruses or diseases. The way to protect a patient is by following standard precautions.

Reporting for safety:Being aware of the surroundings can help save someone's life. When any unsafe conditions are noticed then report it. Example: If an exit sign is not working, report it. If there is an emergency and patients can’t see the sign then the way out is not obvious.

In case of an emergency, you must remember your ABC’s:

A—Airway: When most people suddenly become unconscious, their tongue will become extremely relaxed and settle back into their throat and block air flow to the lungs. Knowing how to simply reposition the victim’s head may correct this life threatening problem.

Knowing your ABC’s

In case of an emergency, you must remember your ABC’s:

B—Breathing: Falls, electrocution, near-drowning, and choking can cause a person to stop breathing. If not corrected immediately, the heart will also stop beating soon after breathing stops. Providing temporary rescue breathing can keep the blood oxygenated and the heart pumping.

Knowing your ABC’s

In case of an emergency, you must remember your ABC’s:

C—Circulation: Circulation is the flow of blood throughout the body. If the body’s cells do not receive adequate blood flow, the body will soon shut down. This can be the result of a heart attack, large amount of blood loss from an injury, or drug overdose. CPR can maintain blood circulation when the heart stops beating, until a defibrillator and advanced help arrives.

Knowing your ABC’s

Author: Kari Slade, BSHS, MPH

“This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership.”   This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.