La Salle UniversitySchool of Nursing

Occupational & Safety Health Administration (OSHA) Orientation for Faculty

Welcome to La Salle!The following slide show focuses on the followingobjectives: Discusses role of microorganisms and pathogens

in chain of infection Describes bloodborne, airborne, droplet, contact,

vehicle and vector transmission of pathogens Explains protective interventions for decreasing

risk of infection

Please Note: Faculty With proof of attendance at an OSHA

orientation during this past year you do not need to review this presentation

Just take the post-test and submit it to the Dean’s secretary

Bloodborne Pathogens & Other Infectious Agents

Microorganisms are Everywhere Most do not cause

disease and are important for everyday life

Some cause infection and disease (Pathogens)

Who Can Get Infection? Host = you, the patient, patient’s family,

other healthcare workers, or visitors Anyone can be at-risk for developing

infection after exposure if the circumstances are night.

Microorganisms Are Spread in These Ways

Airborne Transmission Person with infection

coughs, sneezes organism into air

Organism remains suspended in air

Susceptible person breathes in organism and may become infected

Example: TB, Measles, chickenpox

Droplet Transmission Droplets containing

microorganisms contact mucous membranes of susceptible host

Example: Influenza, meningococcal meningitis, rubella, mumps

Contact Transmission

Transferring organisms to another person or surface

•Touching surfaces that are contaminated with pathogens

Example: Chickenpox, C. difficile diarrhea, lice, scabies, HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C

Vehicle Transmission

Organism passed on in food or water

Example: Hepatitis A, Salmonella, Shigella, Giardia, E. coli 0127

Vector Transmission Etiologic agent must

pass through animal or insect

•Example: Lyme disease, Rabies, West Nile Virus, Malaria

Stopping Infection Transmission We can stop infection

from spreading to others by interrupting the way the microorganisms get from place to place.

Things You Can DoPrevent the spread of

infection by: Washing your hands Using Standard

Precautions Personal Protective

Equipment Safety devices Safe work practices

Best Practice “Handwashing is the

single most effective method to prevent the spread of infection.”Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Handwashing

Running water – comfortable temperature Soap – friction to all surfaces for 15-20 seconds

Backs of hands, between fingers, under nails Rinse well Dry thoroughly Use paper towel to turn off faucet (touching faucet

recontaminates you)

Standard Precautions Protect you from both known and unknown

sources of infection Should be used for everyone regardless of

diagnosis or infectious state

Be Aware! Germs may enter

through cuts, punctures, broken skin, eyes-nose-throat and mucous membranes

Standard Precautions WEAR GLOVES when touching blood,

body fluids, excretions, broken (non-intact) skin, contaminated items

WASH HANDS before and after any patient contact, after gloves removed, before invasive or sterile procedures

Standard Precautions Use personal

protective equipment (PPE = gowns, masks, eyewear, gloves, etc.) to prevent exposure from splash of blood or body fluids to face or body

Infectious Waste Use gloves to discard

items soiled with blood or body fluids, IV tubing, urinary catheters & nasogastric tubes into the infectious waste containers

Wash hands after removing gloves

Prevent Sharps Injuries Be careful with sharps Activate safety mechanisms Don’t recap needles Get help with uncooperative patients Dispose immediately after use into

designated sharps container

How to Clean a Blood Spill Put on gloves (if spill is large, wear gown) Use paper towels to absorb the blood, discard into

red bag Clean area with soap & water Disinfect area with product such as Hepacide Discard all materials, including gloves into red

bag Wash hands For larger spills, call Environmental Services

Soiled Linen Handle all linen as

though it has blood or body fluids on it

Place in linen bag Wash hands after

handling soiled linen

Isolation Sometimes additional precautions are

necessary for certain infections Airborne infections such as TB, measles, or

chickenpox need special air handling Check your facility’s Infection Control

Manual for specific infections that need extra precautions (isolation)

TB Skin Test - PPD You should have a PPD

every year to check for TB A negative PPD usually

means you are not infected with TB

A positive skin test for TB (PPD) means you may have been exposed to tuberculosis and should be evaluated for active TB

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Rule Intent: To reduce or eliminate employee’s

occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens Any healthcare facility should have:

Written exposure control plan Engineering controls (e.g., sharps boxes, etc) Safe work practices and safety devices Hepatitis B vaccine available Education and post-exposure follow-up

Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Occupational Exposure can occur following

contact with blood or body fluids in these ways: Percutaneous – any new break in the skin caused by

contaminated needle or other sharp object Mucous membrane contact – any splash or splatter of

blood and/or body fluids to the eys, ears, nose, mouth, etc.

Non-intact (broken) skin contact – any contact o blood and/or body fluid with an existing break in the skin

Bloodborne Pathogens These pathogens are found in the blood and

certain body fluids of people who have these infections Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Hepatitis D Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Transmission of Hepatitis Hepatitis B, C, and D are spread by contact

with blood or body fluids containing Hepatitis B virus, or Hepatitis C virus, or Hepatitis D virus

Prevention includes Always using Standard Precautions Getting your hepatitis B vaccine to prevent

hepatitis B

Hepatitis B Vaccine Hepatitis B Vaccine protects you from

getting Hepatitis B Hepatitis B vaccine is available from

primary care providers Most health care facilities provide it for

full-time employees

How is HIV Transmitted? Occupational exposure – blood or mucous

membrane contact with infected blood or body fluids

Sexual contact with HIV-infected person: anal, genital, oral, and other

Blood to blood: injecting drug use, transfusion of blood or blood products

Perinatally from HIV-infected mother to infant before, during or after birth

Infection Control for Home & Work Wash hands

Before and after contact with patients and/or equipment

After contamination and toileting before eating and touching face

After removing gloves Between “dirty” and “clean” procedures

Infection Control for the Healthcare Worker Always practice safety

Use Standard Precautions routinely Consider all patients potentially infected Add other isolation precautions as needed Plan ahead, anticipate potential problems, get

help Follow procedures, don’t short-cut Use safety devices that are available

Infection Control for the Healthcare Worker Safe practices

Practice sharps safety: don’t recap; activate safety devices and dispose of sharp items immediately after use into designated container

Use engineering controls Wear personal protective equipment (gloves, gowns,

goggles, or masks) to protect against splash of blood or body fluids to face or clothing

Infection Control for Everyone Be kind to your immune system

Get enough rest Eat balanced diet Reduce or manage stress in your life

Keep immunizations up-to-date, including getting Hepatitis B vaccine and annual influenza vaccine

Post-Exposure Follow-up If you have a blood or body fluid exposure:

Wash/flush with water or saline Report the exposure immediately to your supervisor;

complete an incident report Go for immediate medical evaluation and follow-up

via Occupational Health (go to Emergency Department if exposure occurs off-shift); Faculty on affiliation may be expected to follow up with their own primary care provider

Post-Exposure Follow-up If you are exposed to a communicable

disease, such as chickenpox, TB, or measles: Report the exposure to your supervisor and

complete an incident report Review your immune status (have you had

this infection or been immunized for it?) Go for medical evaluation

Do Not Come to the Facility If you have a fever If you are getting sick with a cold, influenza, or

other communicable disease (example, measles, chickenpox)

If you have Conjunctivitis (until on antibiotics and eye drainage stops)

If you have Diarrhea and fever (until diarrhea stops) If you aren’t sure whether you should work, talk

with your supervisor or director

Summary You are in control of your own protection Use hand washing consistently Use personal protective equipment Think!!