Nursing Safe Profession

Equipment hazards can be things such as hoists which can be a big hazard as the hoists could get in the way and a service user could trip and cause them an injury. Another hazard would be wearing gloves because if the staff didn’t wear gloves whilst they were treating a patient they would carry the infection to another patient, which could cause them to be severely ill or worse even

The responsibilities of employees are to take safety measures to prevent and control the spread of infection in the workplace; this includes working safely to protect myself, other staff, visitors and individuals from infections. Employees would attend essential training that our employers offer so that we can work safely for everyone in the best way possible. Employees have a duty to have safe ways of working and put into practice such as effective hand washing, not coming to work ill for the reason that you can put other individuals at risk, not to wear jewellery when cooking or supporting service users in other activities because

It is our responsibility as employees to take precautionary measures to prevent and control the spread of infection in the workplace. This involves working safely to protect myself, other staff, visitors and individuals from infections.

Learning outcome 2: Understand legislation and policies relating to prevention and control of infections For all legislation and policies – key points, mandatory or relevant training, impact on organisation, impact on day to day work, implications of failing to meet legislative or regulatory requirements in terms of legal penalties, organisation reputation and individual safety Current legislation, to include: The Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act, 1984 The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1998 Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Act (amended 1994) Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) 2002 Food Safety Act, 1990 Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (RIDDOR) 1995 The Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991 Health Protection Agency Bill 2004 Other new/current legislation that affects infection control Hazardous waste regulations 2005 The Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulation (Department of Health, 1995)

Many instances have been noted that healthcare providers are bringing the infection to the patients and not the patients bring the infection to the staff. Furthermore, It is well documented that nosocomial infection occurs (Rice, 2010) and hospitalized individuals face more complications and greater mortality from influenza. Healthcare providers are indirectly causing undo harm to patients that are more susceptible to infections such as influenza. “In nursing home settings, vaccination of healthcare workers has been shown to decrease morbidity and mortality among nursing home residents” (Babcock, et al., 2010, p. 459). One study suggests that there is a higher rate of occurrence of influenza among healthcare providers than residents. “In elder-care settings, influenza among staff precedes illness among residents, suggesting that health care workers introduce the virus into the setting” (Anikeeva, Braunack-Mayer, & Rogers, 2009, p. 25).

Own health or hygiene might pose a risk to individuals or others at work by causing infections, causing illness or causing fatalities, this can be prevented by washing hands thoroughly before preparing food and after going to the toilet, covering mouth/ turning away when coughing, applying/ replacing old plasters, disposing of used tissues, taking sick leave if ill etc.

Infections can be spread through many things, these include; food borne infection, person to person, water borne infection, airborne infection, insect borne infection and fomites.

- wounds and breaks in the skin (pathogens enter the body through mucus membranes, nose, mouth, gut, genital urinary track - catheters, or wounds like surgical incisions which can cause e.g. MRSA).

Being in a health and social care setting means that there are many opportunities to be exposed to infection. For example MRA (Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) and hazardous

To increase patient and hcw safety, health care workers should be mandate to get vaccination. Hcw are more at risk to get infection because of their contact with patient and then to spread it to patients, specially patients who are susceptible to the infection (CITATION). Influenza symptoms appears within 1-4 days. Before even hcw workes know that they have influenza infection and they are contagious, they may spread the infection to patient . Also, if hcw are infected, it will cause impact on their mental and physical functioning. Two randomly conducted studies have supported that mandatory influenza vaccination for hcw helped in decreasing death rate upto 44% in nursing home residents (Ottenberg, 2011). Potter et. al. identified that because of increased staff vaccination mortality rate reduced from 17% to 10% (Suillivan, 2010). The other fact which can effect patient safety due to low rate of vaccination is absenteeism of hcw during influenza epidemic.

Infection- Worker should not come to work if they have an illness that can be passed e.g infection until the risk has gone.

This paragraph explains ways to prevent infections contracted from hospitals. The number one way to lower the spread of infections contracted through a hospital is correct sanitation customs. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal government agency has come up with guidelines in order to safeguard against the expansion of infections and diseases for patients and the workers (Hedman, 2010). It is mandatory for administrators of hospitals to write a disclosure policy to protect the workers from infections like Hepatitis B and other infections and bad bacteria. Minimizing infections that the workers have can aid in stopping the spread of

The three categories of Transmission-Based Precautions include: 1) Contact Precautions- this is the transmission that occurs with the physical of the infected patient or handling of a contaminated object in the infected patient’s room. Masks, gowns, and gloves as well as standard precautions must be used by health care providers when in the infected patient’s room. The only procedure that reduce the risk of spread of infections through direct or indirect contact. 2)

by airborne respiratory droplets for example, coughs or sneezes, by skin-to-skin contact ,handshakes or hugs, by saliva which is kissing or shared drinks, and by touching a contaminated surface for example, blankest or doorknobs.

Indirect transmission of tuberculosis can occur by contact with contaminated inanimate objects (fomites) by susceptible persons. It can also be acquired by the ingestion of contaminated foods, (Wistreich,2010,p.25). Only people with active TB can spread the disease to others.