Bloodborne Diseases and Precautions

Bloodborne Diseases and Precautions Pathogens can be transmitted through contact with blood, body fluids contaminated with blood, semen, or vaginal secretions You can be exposed to the following in healthcare: Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

Bloodborne Diseases and Precautions Hepatitis B- viral disease that attacks the liver. Causes scarring of the liver and liver cancer and can lead to death. There is no cure, but there is a vaccine to help prevent the disease Hepatitis C- virus that attacks the liver and causes many of the same problems as HBV. The HBV vaccine may help prevent the contraction of HCV, but there is no official vaccine for this strain

Bloodborne Diseases and Precautions Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)- viral disease that attacks the immune system Breaks down the body’s immune defenses making easier for other infections to occur HIV does NOT kill a patient It only weakens the immune system to a point that the patient may die from an opportunistic infection HIV does cause AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

Transmission of Bloodborne Diseases How can these diseases be spread? Accidental needlesticks Cuts with sharp instruments Direct contact with infected blood Directly comes in contact with the eyes, nose, mouth, or skin These diseases can be passed on from an infected mother to her infant

Bloodborne Diseases and Precautions These diseases are NOT spread by the following ways: Casual Contact Hugging Kissing Food Water Sharing utensils and dishes Coughing Sneezing

At-Risk Behaviors Some behaviors put people at a greater risk of contracting a bloodborne disease Unprotected sex, including oral sex Sharing needles to inject illegal drugs Why do these behaviors put people at risks? It allows them to come in contact with blood, semen, or vaginal fluids, all of which can carry bloodborne pathogens

Universal Precautions Use universal precautions!!! Gloves Gowns Aprons Masks Protective eyewear Resuscitation equipment that will prevent the spread of pathogens

Testing for Bloodborne Diseases There are some external symptoms of HIV and HCV infections, such as jaundiced skin HIV infections may not have external symptoms A blood test can confirm the presence of any of these three diseases A false positive is possible, so multiple tests are required to verify infection

Ethical and Legal Issues As a health care worker, your employer has certain obligations to keep you safe The employer should provide PPE at all times Your employer should have practices in place to reduce the risk of exposure You should also be vaccinated for HBV If you are exposed to a bloodborne disease, your employer should also offer management and treatment for the disease. Exposure, whether contract the disease or not, will be recorded in your medical records. It may be reported to government agencies for disease tracking and research purposes. Your information will be kept private

A health care facility must maintain a patient’s confidentiality Participation in any treatment and testing must be voluntary A facility should also offer adequate support and referrals to help an infected individual Depending on state and federal laws, a health care facility must report bloodborne diseases and make an effort to warn people who are at risk in a confidential manner

Questions 1. List three bloodborne diseases. 2. What is a vaccine? 3. In the health care setting, how are bloodborne diseases passed from one person to another? 4. What two risky behaviors increase the risk of contracting a bloodborne disease? 5. What are six pieces of equipment used in Universal Precautions? 6. What legal rights are afforded to health care workers who have a bloodborne disease?

Sources Badasch, S. A., & Chesebro, D. S. (2011). Asepsis and Standard Precautions. In Health Science Fundamentals: Exploring Career Pathways (1st ed., Revised , pp. 520-524). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.