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To protect healthcare personnel from contracting infections due to bloodborne pathogens, use of various personal protection equipment alongwith proper procedures is prescribed to minimize such risks. Besides washing hands after treatment it is also recommended that you wash off any blood or body fluid that you may come in contact with even if it is on healthy skin.
However if such fluids come in contact with broken skin then it becomes a very serious matter, in which case you must follow the following 5 steps.
• Wash the Skin Immediately: If the blood or body fluid of a patient comes in contact with wounds, cuts or any kind of broken skin then the skin site must be immediately washed with soap and rinsed under running water. If the fluid has come in contact with the eyes or the mucus membrane of the nose and mouth then these parts must be flushed with ample amounts of water. Remember that these actions must be undertaken immediately after exposure without any delay.
• Medical Attention: The supervisor of the healthcare facility must be informed, who in turn will come on the scene immediately and take steps to address the situation. The exposed person must be evaluated by an experienced professional from the facility, and the preliminary treatment must be administered as quickly as possible. Certain forms may have to be filled in, but the supervisor must get to it only after the initial emergency has been taken care off.
• Making a Report: Details of the evaluation must be put down in a report. The information must begin with stating the date and time of exposure. This should be followed by information explaining how the incident occurred and the part of the body that was affected besides the kind of instrument or device that came in contact with the person. In addition to noting if the exposure was through the blood or certain bodily fluid there must also be a mention of the extent and area of exposure. Next there should be proper details of the condition or illness the patient was suffering from, and whether any disease like Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B and C Virus which are commonly caused due to bloodborne pathogens was detected. Finally there should be a complete status of the general health condition of the exposed person and the response after administering certain vaccinations. This kind of information also helps to manage the follow-up treatment.
• Observation: The exposed person must be kept under close observation for a reasonable period to look out for any typical symptoms of related diseases and even to note any change in the health condition.
• Requirements of Law: Such cases of occupational exposure have to be reported to certain state agencies as well as the federal body of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The employers must accordingly inform the agencies within the stipulated time.
Occupational Exposure can have far reaching and potentially severe effects, thus all the required measures must be taken to contain the situation in the best possible manner and the case should be thoroughly documented for reference and follow up.
For more information, please visit our bloodborne pathogens website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Garner
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