Blood Born Pathogens Flashcards
how many health care workers are at risk to bloodbourne pathogens like HIV (which causes AIDS), HBV and HCV?
5.6 million
T or F: Good Samaritan acts like nosebleeds would be considered occupational exposer
False, They are not considered occupational exposer
T or F: All employees who could be “reasonably anticipated”, as the result of performing their job duties, to face contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials are covered by the standard.
True
Name the 11 popular departments or personnel that are at risk
- Nursing Education
- Dental Education
- Custodial Services
- Laundry Workers
- Biology Laboratory Faculty and Staff
- Law Enforcement Personnel
- Firefighters
- Childcare
- Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians
- Anyone providing first-response medical care
- Anyone treating medical wastes (i.e., autoclaving waste bags)
percutaneous inoculation
Passing through the skin, as an injection or a topical medicine.
mucous membrane
The moist, inner lining of some organs and body cavities (such as the nose, mouth, lungs, and stomach)
what are the five basic ways of exposure through an infectious agent? (aka 5 different infectious agents)
- body fluids
- inhalation
- percutaneous inoculation
- contact with an open wound
- mucous membrane
most common way of exposure
needle sticks
other ways exposure exposure
Cuts from other contaminated sharps (scalpels, broken glass, etc.)
Contact of mucous membranes (for example; the eyes, nose, mouth) or broken (cut or abraded) skin with contaminated blood
what is the exposure control plan?
-Identifies jobs and tasks where occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material occurs
-Describes how the employer will:
-Use engineering and work practice controls
-Ensure use of Personal
Protective Equipment
-Provide training
-Provide medical surveillance
-Provide Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccinations
-Use signs and labels
what is the exposure control plan pt.2?
- Written plan required
- Plan must be reviewed at least ANNUALY to reflect changes in:
- -Tasks, procedures, or assignments which affect exposure
- -Technology that will eliminate or reduce exposure
- Annual review must document employer’s consideration and implementation of safer medical devices
- Must solicit input from potentially exposed employees in the identification, evaluation, and selection of engineering and work practice controls
- Plan must be accessible to employees
Plan must be reviewed at least ANNUALY to reflect changes in:
- Tasks,
- procedures,
- assignments which affect exposure
- Technology that will eliminate or reduce exposure
What is a Blood Borne Pathogen?
Microorganisms that are carried in the blood that can cause disease in humans
5 common blood borne pathogens
Hepatitis B (HBV) Hepatitis C (HCV) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Malaria Syphilis
Jaundice
a medical condition with yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, arising from excess of the pigment bilirubin and typically caused by obstruction of the bile duct, by liver disease, or by excessive breakdown of red blood cells.
What is the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the United States?
Hepatitis C (HCV)
what are the symptoms of HCV?
- jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, intermittent nausea, vomiting
- May lead to chronic liver disease and death
which virus leads to AIDS, depletes the immune system, and does not survive well outside of the body?
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Is there a threat to contracting HIV through casual contact?
No
how many Americans are chronically infected with Hepatitis B (HBV)?
1-1.25 millions
What are the symptoms of HBV?
-jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, intermittent nausea, vomiting
(same as HCV)
-May lead to chronic liver disease, liver cancer, and death
T or F. Vaccination available since 1972 for Hepatitis B
False: they were available in 1982
T or F. HBV can survive for at least one week in dried blood
true
how long can can the symptoms start to occur for HBV)
Symptoms can occur 1-9 months after exposure
What are 9 Potentially Infectious Bodily Fluids?
- Blood
- Saliva
- Vomit
- Urine
- Semen or Vaginal Secretions
- Skin Tissue
- Cell Cultures
- Any other bodily fluid
- Chewing Tobacco Juice
What are 4 possible ways of transmission?
- Contact with another person’s blood or bodily fluid that may contain blood
- Mucous membranes: eyes, mouth, nose
- Non-intact skin
- Contaminated sharps/needles
Your exposure potential: (6 ways)
- Accidental Release
- Post-Accident Cleanup
- Administering First-Aid
- Handling of Returned Product
- Janitorial or Maintenance Work
- Handling of any Waste Products
what are 5 universal precautions?
- Use of proper PPE
- Treat all blood and bodily fluids as if they are contaminated
- Proper cleanup and decontamination
- Disposal of all contaminated material in the proper manner (if a “sharp” is found, dispose of it immediately in a sharp’s container)
- Be sure to wash hands after removing gloves
what practice controls reduce the likelihood of exposure?
wash hands after removing gloves and as soon as possible after exposure.
Do not bend or break sharps.
No food or smoking in work areas.
what engineering controls reduce employee exposure by either removing the hazard or isolating the worker?
Sharps disposal containers Self-sheathing needles Safer medical devices Needless systems Sharps with engineered sharps injury precautions
What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
Anything that is used to protect a person from exposure
Latex or Nitrile gloves, goggles, CPR mouth barriers, aprons, respirators, among other things
What are the 4 fundamental PPE Rules to Remember?
- Always check PPE for defects or tears before using
- If PPE becomes torn or defective, remove and get new
- Remove PPE before leaving a contaminated area
- Do not reuse disposable equipment
How do you properly decontaminate?
- When cleaning up surfaces use dilute bleach solutions or other suitable commercial disinfectant
- Do an initial wipe up
- Spray and allow it to stand for ten minutes, then wipe up
- Dispose of all wipes in biohazard containers
- PPE should be removed and disposed of in biohazard containers
What items do you throw away (Regulated Medical Waste)?
- Liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious material (OPIM)
- Contaminated items that would release blood or OPIM when compressed
- Contaminated sharps
- Pathological and microbiological waste containing blood or OPIM
OPIM
Other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) means: (1) The following human body fluids: semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood
Labels must include the universal biohazard symbol, and the term “Biohazard” must be attached to what 3 items?
- Containers of regulated biohazard waste
- Refrigerators or freezers containing blood or OPIM
- Containers used to store, transport, or ship blood or OPIM
Exposure Incident conditions
- A specific incident of contact with potentially infectious bodily fluid
- If there are no infiltrations of mucous membranes or open skin surfaces, it is not considered an occupational exposure
- Report all accidents involving blood or bodily fluids after appropriate handling of exposure (such as washing hands or cleaning site)
- Post-exposure medical evaluations are offered
what are 5 steps for Post exposure Evaluation
-Confidential medical evaluation
-Document route of exposure
Identify source individual
-Test source individuals blood (with individual’s consent)
-Provide results to exposed employee
Hepatitis B Vaccination
- Strongly endorsed by medical communities
- Offered to all potentially exposed employees
- Provided at no cost to employees
- Declination form
what do medical records include?
- Hepatitis B vaccination status
- Post-exposure evaluation and follow-up results
what do Training records include?
- Training dates
- Contents of the training
- Signature of trainer and trainee
