Infection Control AHS II Unit F. Standard Precautions Sometimes called “Universal” precautions Sometimes called “Universal” precautions Used to break.

Infection ControlInfection ControlAHS II Unit FAHS II Unit F

Standard PrecautionsStandard Precautions

Sometimes called “Universal” Sometimes called “Universal” precautionsprecautions

Used to break the chain of Used to break the chain of infectioninfection

Pathogens spread by blood and Pathogens spread by blood and body fluidsbody fluids

Hepatitis B (HBV)Hepatitis B (HBV) Human immunodeficiency virus Human immunodeficiency virus

(HIV)(HIV)

OSHA passed regulations in OSHA passed regulations in 1991 requiring all health 1991 requiring all health

care facility employers to:care facility employers to: Determine which employees Determine which employees

will have exposure to blood will have exposure to blood and body fluidsand body fluids

Provide Hepatitis B vaccine Provide Hepatitis B vaccine free to employees with free to employees with exposure risk (or signed exposure risk (or signed refusal)refusal)


care facility employers to:care facility employers to: Provide personal protective Provide personal protective

equipment (PPE) such as equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns, lab coats, gloves, gowns, lab coats, masks, and face shieldsmasks, and face shields

Provide adequate Provide adequate handwashing facilities and handwashing facilities and suppliessupplies


care facility employers to:care facility employers to: Ensure clean & safe work Ensure clean & safe work

environmentenvironment Follow decontamination Follow decontamination

protocol for contaminated protocol for contaminated surfacessurfaces


care facility employers to:care facility employers to: Dispose of infectious wastes Dispose of infectious wastes

correctlycorrectly No eating, drinking, smoking, No eating, drinking, smoking,

handling contact lenses, handling contact lenses, applying lip balm, etc. in risk applying lip balm, etc. in risk areaarea


care facility employers to:care facility employers to: Provide color-coded Provide color-coded

containers labeled for sharps containers labeled for sharps and other infectious wastesand other infectious wastes

Post signs in work areas Post signs in work areas where this is exposure riskwhere this is exposure risk


care facility employers to:care facility employers to: Provide medical evaluation & Provide medical evaluation &

follow-up for employees follow-up for employees who’ve had an exposure who’ve had an exposure incidentincident

Provide training about the Provide training about the regulations to all employees regulations to all employees at no cost during working at no cost during working hourshours

Standard precautions Standard precautions rules are developed by rules are developed by

the CDC and FDA.the CDC and FDA.1. All body fluids should be 1. All body fluids should be

considered potentially considered potentially infectiousinfectious

2. All patients should be 2. All patients should be considered potential considered potential sources of infectionsources of infection

3. Wash hands before and 3. Wash hands before and after any patientafter any patient

Standard precautionsStandard precautions

4. If any surface comes in 4. If any surface comes in contact with blood or body contact with blood or body fluids, wash immediately fluids, wash immediately and thoroughlyand thoroughly

5. Wash hands after removal 5. Wash hands after removal of glovesof gloves

6. Wear gloves whenever 6. Wear gloves whenever contact with blood or body contact with blood or body fluids is possiblefluids is possible


7. Change gloves after contact 7. Change gloves after contact with each patientwith each patient

8. Gloves should not be reused8. Gloves should not be reused

9. Gowns should be worn 9. Gowns should be worn during any procedure with during any procedure with risk of splashing blood or risk of splashing blood or body fluidsbody fluids


10. Masks and protective 10. Masks and protective eyewear to be worn during eyewear to be worn during procedures that may produce procedures that may produce blood or body fluidsblood or body fluids

11. Extreme care should be 11. Extreme care should be taken while handling sharp taken while handling sharp objects. (Do not bend, break objects. (Do not bend, break or recap needles. Dispose of or recap needles. Dispose of them in puncture-resistant them in puncture-resistant containers.)containers.)


12.12. Spills or splashes of Spills or splashes of blood or body fluids should blood or body fluids should be wiped up immediately. be wiped up immediately. Wear gloves, and use a Wear gloves, and use a disinfectant solution.disinfectant solution.


13. Mouthpieces or 13. Mouthpieces or resuscitation devices should resuscitation devices should be used to avoid the need be used to avoid the need for mouth-to-mouth for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.resuscitation.

14. Know the requirements for 14. Know the requirements for disposal of waste materials disposal of waste materials and dispose of wastes in the and dispose of wastes in the proper container.proper container.


15. Report any cut, injury, 15. Report any cut, injury, needle stick, or splashing of needle stick, or splashing of blood or body fluids blood or body fluids immediately.immediately.

DisinfectionDisinfection

ChemicalsChemicals frequently used for frequently used for aseptic controlaseptic control

They do not kill spores & viruses They do not kill spores & viruses so it’s not sterilizationso it’s not sterilization

Used to disinfect instruments Used to disinfect instruments that don’t penetrate body that don’t penetrate body tissue:tissue: dental instrumentsdental instruments percussion hammerspercussion hammers thermometersthermometers

Examples:Examples:

90% isopropyl alcohol90% isopropyl alcohol formaldehyde-alcoholformaldehyde-alcohol 10% bleach solution10% bleach solution LysolLysol ZephiranZephiran

Boiling waterBoiling water disinfects but disinfects but does not sterilizedoes not sterilize

Satisfactory for home care where Satisfactory for home care where instruments/supplies used for instruments/supplies used for one person onlyone person only

Usually 15-30 minutesUsually 15-30 minutes

Ultrasonic unitUltrasonic unit

– – used in dental & medical offices used in dental & medical offices to disinfectto disinfect

Uses sound waves to produce Uses sound waves to produce millions of microscopic bubbles millions of microscopic bubbles

CavitationCavitation – bubbles hit – bubbles hit instrument and explode, driving instrument and explode, driving cleaning solution into articlecleaning solution into article

Sterile Technique - Sterile Technique - PrinciplesPrinciples

Surgical AsepsisSurgical Asepsis – procedures – procedures that keep an object or area free that keep an object or area free from living organismsfrom living organisms

Sterile Sterile – free from all – free from all organisms, including spores and organisms, including spores and virusesviruses


Contaminated Contaminated – – organisms/pathogens are organisms/pathogens are presentpresent

A clean, uncluttered work area A clean, uncluttered work area necessary when working with necessary when working with sterile suppliessterile supplies


Sterile field – Sterile field – sterile area – sterile area – never reach across a sterile field never reach across a sterile field – reach in from the side– reach in from the side

Never turn your back on a sterile Never turn your back on a sterile fieldfield

2-inch border of sterile field is 2-inch border of sterile field is considered contaminatedconsidered contaminated


Common techniques:Common techniques: Drop techniqueDrop technique Mitten techniqueMitten technique Transfer forcepsTransfer forceps


Keep sterile field dry (pathogens Keep sterile field dry (pathogens travel through wet) and be travel through wet) and be careful when pouring fluidscareful when pouring fluids

Be sure sterile field is open and Be sure sterile field is open and ready before putting on sterile ready before putting on sterile glovesgloves


Sterile gloves are contaminated Sterile gloves are contaminated on the inside – once on, keep on the inside – once on, keep hands away from body and hands away from body and above waistabove waist

When in doubt, consider it When in doubt, consider it contaminatedcontaminated

Opening Sterile Opening Sterile PackagesPackages

Check to be sure the sterile Check to be sure the sterile package has not expiredpackage has not expired

Open the distal end and pull it Open the distal end and pull it away from you, reaching around away from you, reaching around the package, not acrossthe package, not across

Open the sides without touching Open the sides without touching the inside wrapperthe inside wrapper

Opening Sterile Opening Sterile PackagesPackages

Pull the bottom down toward youPull the bottom down toward you Drop techniqueDrop technique

Mitten techniqueMitten technique

Transfer forcepsTransfer forceps

Infection Control AHS II Unit F. Standard Precautions Sometimes called “Universal” precautions Sometimes called “Universal” precautions Used to break.

Documents

exposure risk slide

supplies slide

patient slide

risk area slide

possible slide

health care facility

body fluids pathogens

exposure incident