Vascular Technology Lecture 35: Patient Care HHHoldorf

Patient Safety Infection Control All personnel follow good hand-washing techniques before and after direct patient contact, after handling bodily fluid and secretions, and after using the bathroom. Standard universal precautions maintained All bodily fluids considered infectious Personal Protection equipment available e. g., gloves, gowns, masks, and used by personnel when appropriate

Disinfect external ultrasound probes (Always check manufacturer’s guidelines as specific recommendations may vary)

First, remove visible residue with a soft cloth lightly dampened with mild soap: wipe with water-dampened cloth Isopropyl alcohol solution may be used, but don’t let the alcohol air dry Do not use: undiluted bleach, abrasive cleaners, solvents, e.g., thinner or benzene

High-level disinfection- commonly used products include: Cidex Hydrogen Peroxide > 6% Low Level disinfection – commonly used products include: T-spray II, SANI-Cloth Hydrogen Peroxide (3&) Sterile saline is not considered a disinfectant agent

Medical Emergencies All personnel providing direct patient care are trained in basic Cardiac Life Support Emergency response system(s) available In-house emergency team Community emergency number: 9 1 1

Patients provided with safe environment Escorted to and from examination room Assisted on and off the exam table as needed If patient is on a stretcher, side rails up before and after study is completed For hospitalized patients, make observations with regard to special equipment and care issues, e. g., oxygen tanks, IV medications

A test procedure is not carried out if the examiner determines the patient cannot safely tolerate or cooperate with the protocol

Equipment Preventative maintenance Quality assurance checks on equipment, e. g., tissue equivalent phantom, Doppler phantom as applicable All electric/electronic equipment and devices meet the institution’s safety code requirements, e. g., frayed cord or cracked housing precludes safe use of transducer.

Patient Care: Communication Ideally, a translator should be provided by the facility if a language barrier exists between the patient and healthcare provider. Educate the public and other health care professionals in the appropriate utilization of vascular studies Interact with the medical director/supervising physician regarding protocols and procedures Enhance services with computerization: Patient scheduling Report generation Storage of data

Homework Textbook SDMS Assignments Chapter 35: Patient Care and Environmental Issues Pages 363 – 366 SDMS Assignments