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Safety and Infection Control
CHAPTER 4 Safety and Infection Control
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Discussion What is an infection?
the invasion of body tissues by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites What is involved in maintaining safe conditions in a healthcare facility? avoiding danger, risks, injury, and infection for patients, healthcare workers, and visitors
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Safety Safety is the condition of being protected from danger or injury You will need to learn and practice safety regulations for the facility where you work Regulations are usually spelled out in the facility’s safety manual Ekaterina_Minaeva/Shutterstock.com
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General Safety Rules Certain rules are included in all safety manuals
Examples: Always hold handrails when using stairs Never run in a hallway Do not prop open fire safety doors Store items in a safe manner Obey evacuation routes posted in the facility wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com
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Hospital Emergency Codes
Hospital emergency codes alert healthcare workers to urgent situations These codes convey information without causing panic Examples of codes Code Red—fire in the facility Code Blue—cardiac arrest Code Pink—child abduction Code Black—bomb threat wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com
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Thinking Further A disaster is any sudden event that brings great damage, loss, or destruction. What are some types of disasters that individuals in the healthcare profession must be prepared for? Terrorism Catastrophic accidents Earthquakes Explosions Fires Tornadoes Hurricanes Gun violence
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Safety in the Science Laboratory
There are significant safety risks in the science laboratory Always adhere to safety guidelines Examples: Obey all the rules posted in the lab Be aware of all safety symbols in the lab Wear protective safety equipment as needed Familiarize yourself with the location and operation of safety equipment Rob Byron/Shutterstock.com
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Patient Safety Some patient safety guidelines are universal Examples:
Always identify the patient first Explain the entire procedure and make sure you have the patient’s consent Never perform a procedure for which you are not trained Observe the patient carefully for any changes in condition or status Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com
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Incident Reports An incident is any event that is not a part of routine operations Incident reports should be used to document both safety- and non-safety-related occurrences An incident report must be filled out accurately, completely, and immediately after the incident Inga Ivanova/Shutterstock.com
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Employee Safety It is important to maintain employee safety as well as patient safety The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to educate employees about chemical hazards in the workplace Material safety data sheets (MSDS) should accompany every chemical used in a healthcare facility pedalist/Shutterstock.com
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Thinking Further What information does a material safety data sheet (MSDS) contain? A chemical’s makeup A chemical’s dilution A chemical’s mixture concentration Instructions for use Travis Klein/Shutterstock.com
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Electrical Safety Failure to observe electrical safety can result in burns, severe skin damage, unconsciousness, or even death Do not overload any electrical plugs or outlets Follow all electrical safety regulations in a facility’s manual ajt/Shutterstock.com
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Radiation Safety Radiation exposure can occur near any machine that uses radiation Factors involved in the degree of exposure Amount of radiation Duration of exposure Distance from the source Type of shielding used ALARA principle: As Low As Reasonably Achievable Olivier Le Moal/Shutterstock.com
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Fire Safety Fire can occur where the three elements of the fire triangle are present Fuel Heat Oxygen Follow the facility’s evacuation routes and emergency plans RACE: Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish Pixsooz/Shutterstock.com
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Thinking Further What are the five types of fire extinguishers? What does each one contain? What is each one used for? Type A: pressurized water For ordinary combustibles Type B: carbon dioxide For flammable liquids Type C: dry chemical For electrical equipment Type D: class D dry chemical For combustible metals Type E: multi-purpose dry chemical For ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, and electrical and equipment fires
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Body Mechanics Body mechanics relate to the proper use of body movements to prevent injury Ergonomic practices seek to maximize efficiency and prevent discomfort or injury Follow ergonomic practices when sitting, standing, reaching, and lifting Jeanette Dietl/Shutterstock.com
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Quality Improvement and Safety
Quality improvement (QI) involves monitoring and evaluating services for the purpose of making them better Safety criteria are a major part of quality improvement Several government agencies are involved in protecting health and safety kenary820/Shutterstock.com
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Infection Control Healthcare facilities strive to prevent the spread of microorganisms that can cause infectious disease Microorganisms include bacteria, viruses, and fungi People who have compromised immune systems are more susceptible to infections Anna Jurkovska/Shutterstock.com
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Bacteria Small, one-celled microorganisms that cannot be seen by the naked eye; can be pathogenic Bacteria can cause major illness in our bodies Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics Knorre/Shutterstock.com
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Thinking Further Myth or Fact?
Some bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics. FACT Fact: Resistance can develop if patients do not take all of their prescribed antibiotics, antibiotics are prescribed when not needed, or genetic mutation of bacteria has occurred.
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Viruses Viruses depend on a living cell to survive
They cannot reproduce on their own Antibiotics do not kill viruses Vaccines have been developed against many viral diseases Jarun Ontakrai/Shutterstock.com
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Other Pathogens Some fungi can cause disease, including athlete’s foot and certain lung diseases Protozoa can cause amoebic dysentery, trichomoniasis, and malaria Rickettsiae are parasites that can cause diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and types of typhus Wire_man/Shutterstock.com
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The Chain of Infection Reservoir or Host Portal of Exit Mode of Transmission Portal of Entry Susceptible Host The chain of infection illustrates the sequence of events that allows infection to invade the body Modes of transmission include direct contact, indirect contact, and vectors Hospital-acquired infections are called nosocomial infections Several methods are used to break the chain of infection
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Critical Thinking What are two ways that healthcare workers can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases? Healthcare workers can practice good hygiene, including frequent and proper hand washing. Hospital employees and healthcare workers can avoid coming to work when they are sick with a contagious disease.
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Hand Hygiene Hand hygiene is the single most important way to prevent the spread of infection The CDC has issued hand hygiene guidelines for healthcare workers It takes at least 20 seconds to wash your hands properly nata-lunata/Shutterstock.com
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Cleaning the Healthcare Facility
Medical asepsis versus surgical asepsis Three levels of cleaning take place in healthcare facilities to prevent the spread of pathogens Sanitization Disinfection Sterilization To kill all microorganisms on a surface, the surface must be sterilized Timof/Shutterstock.com
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Thinking Further Myth or Fact?
Using a warm air hand dryer after washing your hands is more hygienic than drying your hands with a paper towel. MYTH Fact: Using paper towels greatly decreases the amount of bacteria on the hands. Fact: Warm air dryers can increase the amount of bacteria on the hands.
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Preventing the Spread of Bloodborne Pathogens
OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard Several body fluids or elements can transmit harmful pathogens Blood Semen and vaginal secretions Amniotic fluid Human tissue For safety, healthcare workers should always proceed as if these substances are infectious Tyler Olson/Shutterstock.com
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Patient Isolation Isolation separates patients with certain infections from other patients Isolation rooms may be used Protective gloves, gowns, masks, and face shields serve as barriers against infection Healthcare facilities use two levels of isolation practices Standard precautions Transmission-based precautions Idutko/Shutterstock.com
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Thinking Further What are the three types of transmission-based precautions used with patients who have highly transmissible infections? Airborne precautions—protect against small airborne droplets or dust particles containing microorganisms Droplet precautions—protect against large droplet transmission, as in coughing or sneezing Contact precautions—protect against the spread of microorganisms through direct or indirect contact
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Personal Protective Equipment
OSHA requires that all workers be provided with the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) PPE protects workers from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with various hazards This equipment can include face shields, safety glasses, goggles, gowns, gloves, and face masks ml/Shutterstock.com
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Needlesticks and Other Sharps-Related Injuries
Needlesticks and other accidental punctures of the skin can spread infection Sharp objects and biohazard wastes must be disposed of properly The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act requires employers to identify, evaluate, and introduce safer medical devices to avoid needlesticks Sean Locke Photography/Shutterstock.com
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Protocol for Disposal of Hazardous Materials
Hospitals are required to have hazardous-materials and waste-management plans or protocols Facilities must train personnel who come into contact with hazardous materials and waste Proper emergency procedures must be in place wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com
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Recycling and Waste Reduction
Most of the waste from a healthcare facility is nonhazardous Recycling procedures should be used when disposing of nonhazardous materials Efforts should be made to purchase products made from recycled materials Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com
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Critical Thinking What are some examples of materials from hospital waste that could be recycled? Paper waste is recyclable and includes cardboard, high-grade office paper, newspaper, and mixed paper. Other recyclable materials include plastics, food waste, and disposable linens.
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