Write An Essay On Blood Borne Pathogens

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.

Bloodborne Pathogens are pathogenic microorganisms that can eventually cause disease. They are found in human blood and other bodily fluids such as synovial fluid, semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid and any other fluid that mixes or has contact with blood. The bloodborne pathogens are pathogenic, which means they are disease causing, and they are also microorganisms, which means that they are very small so the human eye cannot see them.

worker wearing an apron and gloves for procedures will reduce the spread of infection by preventing infection passing on from

There are laws and legal regulations about infection prevention and control. Most of the legal regulations relating to infection prevention and control come under the Health and Safety at Work Act; this act is about ensuring a safe work place for employers, employees and members of the public by minimising accidents at work. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations introduced the need for monitoring health and safety and risk assessment; including infection prevention and control. The Food Safety Act was brought in to ensure safe practices for food to avoid contamination and spreading of infection and includes handling, storing and disposal of food.

In an article entitled “Effect of single- versus double- gloving on virus transfer to health care workers’ skin and clothing during removal of personal protective equipment”, which was published in the American Journal of Infection Control in August, 2011, authors Lisa Casanova, William Rutala, David Weber, and Mark Sobsey performed a controlled study of 18 volunteer health care workers, tracking both their adherence to CDC guidelines for donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as the spread of bacterial contaminants the health care workers were exposed to while performing routine patient care. The purpose of this study was to identify whether airborne contaminants were transferred to heath care workers’ hands and uniforms less often with double-gloving than with single-gloving. Though this study was performed on a very small sample of health care workers at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, the results of the study showed that there was far less contamination of participants’ hands after utilizing double-gloving standards than with single-gloving.

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

In addition to the Bloodborne Pathogen Rule, many individual states have developed the EmployeesRight-To-Know laws that support and expand on OSHA regulations to a work place where exposure to infectious agents is possible. “Embalmers must be aware of the duties and responsibilities that are imposed on them by the laws and rules of various jurisdictions within which they practice” (Mayer, pg. 53). Embalmers should treat all cases as if the decedent contracted an infectious disease. In the Bloodborne Pathogen Rule, it mentions that we must comply with work practice controls, which is common sense steps in order to avoid unnecessary exposure to infectious agents. “Common work practices that contribute to a hygienic environment

Pathogens are a type of microorganism that spreads viral and bacterial diseases. These diseases when present in human blood and body fluids are known as blood borne pathogens, and can spread from one person to another. (Worcester polytechnic institute) The most serious types of blood borne diseases are the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), which can cause liver damage; and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), which is responsible for causing AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). The blood borne pathogens can be spread when the blood or body fluids (semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, and amniotic fluid) of an infected individual comes into contact with mucous membranes or an open sore or cut on the skin of another

Each year, 385,000 needlestick injuries and other sharps related injuries are sustained by hospital based healthcare professionals; which equates to an average of almost 1,000 sharps injuries per day in the U.S. Accidental needlestick and sharps not only cause injuries, but they also carry a major risk for transmission of blood borne infections. Although virtually all healthcare workers are at risk of harm from occupational exposures such as these, the Center for Disease Control notes that nurses sustain approximately half of all needlestick injuries. While there are several precautions and regulations implemented on the administration and disposal of sharps, many

The regulations or statutes that impact health care is The Occupational Exposure to Blood borne Pathogens Standard. From experience working in the health care Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) play a big part in infections control; I was taught to treat any wet or any that you are not sure of as infection. I have to take precautions with any body fluids and take it as infectious disease. The employers are the one who are responsible for providing the entire employee and the facility with a safe and healthy environment. That where Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) come in play the employer enforces standards by providing training, education and also assistance on how to comply with the Occupational Safety

For contact precautions, put an examination glove over the stethoscope you are using. After every usage, just remove the gloves and discard. Gloves are thin enough to hear sensitive sounds through the stethoscope’s diaphragm but thick enough to prevent the risk of infection transmission between patients.

Infection control is very important in the health care profession. Health care professionals, who do not practice proper infection control, allow themselves to become susceptible to a number of infections. Among the most dreaded of these infections are: hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Another infection which has more recently increased in prevalence is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These infections are all treated differently. Each infection has its own symptoms, classifications, and incubation periods. These infections are transmitted in very similar fashions, but they do not all target the same population.

Gloves are another form of PPC that can help to prevent cross infection. On the ward where I worked gloves came in different sizes and various types. To adhere to allergies some gloves where latex free or nitrile gloves. Nitrile gloves are used mainly

Protective clothing does not have to be worn at all times within the facility as there is a chance that instead of preventing the infection they could also carry around the healthcare associated infections if it is worn when it is not necessary. Before any member of the healthcare team decides to wear any kind of protective clothing it is important that they assess the risk of the transmission of the infection to themselves and the patient. Protective clothing must be worn at all times when there are bodily fluids, blood, secretions or excretions from the patient as this will prevent any

Viral hemorrhagic fever is one of the most feared diseases of today's time. Although most people have heard of anthrax, smallpox and the plague, viral hemorrhagic fever has become a potent weapon used for bioterrorism, silently killing its victims and instilling fear in the rest of the population. Viral hemorrhagic fever can be divided into 4 families. Although each family of viral hemorrhagic fever may have some of its own unique characteristics, the four families are generally fairly similar regarding the high fevers and hemorrhages they cause. Because of past outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fever, scientists have reason to believe that terrorists have easier access to the deadly viruses