Infection Control,

Safety,
First Aid and
Personal Wellness

John Dale B. Durano, RMT, MAED

 PATHOGENS AND INFECTIONS

The condition in which the body is

invaded with pathogenic (causing
diseases) microorganisms is called
INFECTION

Bloodborne Pathogens (BBPs)can be used

to describe any infectious
microorganism present in the blood and
other body fluids and tissues.

Nosocomial Infections: acquired by the

patient after admission to a health care
facility.
The Chain of Infection

1. Infectious Agent
Infectious agents consist of bacteria, fungi,
parasites, and viruses.

Breaking the Chain: Early detection and

treatment of infectious agents.
2. Reservoir
The reservoir must be a place where the infectious
agent can live and possibly multi -ply.

Humans and animals make ideal reservoirs.

Equipment and other soiled objects often called
fomites will serve as reservoirs particularly if they
contain blood or other body fluids.

Breaking the Chain: Disinfecting the work area

kills the infectious agent and eliminates the reservoir.
3. Portal of Exit
When the reservoir is a human or an animal this
can be through the nose, mouth, and mucous
membranes and in blood or other body fluids.

Breaking the Chain: Disposing of needles and

lancets in sealed sharps containers and other
contaminated materials in biohazard containers and
keeping tubes and sample containers sealed.

When contaminated ma - terials are in the

appropriate containers, the infectious agent still has a
reservoir but no means to exit as long as the
container remains sealed.
4. Means of Transmission
Means of transmission include:
! Direct contact: unprotected host touches or is touched
by the reservoir
! Droplet: the host inhales material from the reservoir
such as aerosol droplets from an infected person
! Airborne: inhalation of dried aerosol nuclei circulating
on air currents or attached to dust particles
! Vehicle: ingestion of contaminated food or water
! Vector: parasites such as malaria transmitted by a
mosquito bite

Breaking the Chain: Hand washing, Standard

Precautions and transmission-based precautions.
5. Portal of Entry
The portal of entry can be the same as the portal of exit.
This includes the nose, mouth, mucous membranes, and
open wounds.

Medical and surgical procedures provide a very convenient

portal of entry for infectious agents. This is why all needles
used in phlebotomy are packaged individually in sterile
containers and a needle is never used more than once or
from a container that has been opened.

Breaking the Chain: Disinfection and sterilization

and strict adherence to Standard Precautions and
transmission-based precautions are used to block
the portal of entry.
6. Susceptible Host
Patients are ideal susceptible hosts because their immune systems that normally
provide defense against infection are already involved with the patient’s illness.

Patients receiving chemotherapy and immunocompromised patients are very

susceptible hosts.

The immune system is still developing in newborns and infantsand begins to

weaken as people age, making these groups of patients more susceptible to
infection.

The immune system also is depressed by stress, fatigue, and lack of proper
nutrition.

These factors contribute to the susceptibility of the health-care provider.

Breaking the Chain: Observation of special precautions when working in the

nursery and in isolation rooms designated for protection of susceptible
patients. Workers must stay current with the required health-care workers’
immunisations and tests. Maintenance of a healthy lifestyle is very important
for the health-care worker.
 The Chain of Nosocomial Infection

Health-care–acquired infection (HAI) refers to an

infection acquired by a patient as the result of a health-
care procedure that may or maynot require a hospital stay.
Transmission Prevention Procedures
Procedures used to prevent
microorganism transmission
include hand hygiene, the wearing
of personal protective equipment
(PPE ), isolation of highly infective
or highly susceptible patients, and
proper disposal of contaminated
materials.
CDC and the Occupational Safety
andHealth Administration (OSHA)
 Hand Hygiene
Hand washing and the
use of alcohol-based
antiseptic cleansers
Using alcohol-based cleansers,
the cleanser is applied to the
palm of one hand.

The hands are rubbed together

and over the entire cleansing
area, including between the
fingers and thumbs.

The rubbing is continued until

the alcohol dries.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Standard Precautions
Standard Precautions (SP) were developed by the
CDC by combining the recommendations of
Universal Precautions and Body Substance
Isolation procedures. CDC consistently modifies SP
as changes occur in the health-care environment.

SP assumes that every person in the health-care

setting is potentially infected or colonised by an
organism that could be transmitted. SP applies to all
blood and body fluids, mucous membranes, and
nonintact skin and stresses hand washing
Transmission-Based Precautions
In addition to the protective barriers
provided by PPE, the spread of infection
can be controlled by placing highly
infectious or highly susceptible patients in
private isolation rooms. Guidelines for
isolation practices are published by the
CDC and have been periodically revised to
meet the ever-changing health-care
environment.
Bloodborne Pathogens

Bloodborne pathogens are of particular

concern to health-care workers because of
their exposure to blood and sharp objects
such as needles.
Postexposure Prophylaxis
Any accidental exposure to blood through
needlestick, mucous membranes, or
nonintact skin must be reported to a
supervisor and a confidential medical
examination must be started immediately.

Evaluation of the incident must begin

immediately to ensure appropriate
postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is initiated
within 24 hours.
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Phlebotomists may come in
contact with
chemicals while
accessioning or processing
samples in the laboratory
and preparing containers
for urine samples that
require preservatives.
RADIOACTIVE HAZARDS
Phlebotomists may come in contact
with
radioactivity while drawing blood
from
patients in the radiology department or
from patients receiving radioactive
treatments and in the laboratory when
procedures using radioisotopes are
performed.
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS

The health-care setting contains a large

amount of electrical equipment with
which phlebotomists are in contact, both
in patients’ rooms and in the laboratory.
FIRE/EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS
PHYSICAL HAZARDS

1. Avoid running in rooms and hallways.

2. Be alert for wet floors.
3. Bend the knees when lifting heavy objects or
patients.
4. Keep long hair tied back and remove dangling
jewelry to avoid contact with equipment and
patients.
5. Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes with nonskid
soles that provide maximum support.
6. Maintain a clean, organized work area.
 Disaster Emergency Plan

Health care worker should become familiar with developed

procedures to be followed in case or emergency, because he must
be prepared to take immediate action whenever conditions
warrant such action
Bleeding Aid
Severe bleeding from an open wound can be
controlled by applying pressure directly over
the wound

Circulation Aid
Knowledge about basic CPR is a must

Shock Prevention
Treating a shock victim are to improve
circulation, to provide sufficient O2, and to
maintain normal body temperature
Shock Prevention
First Aid Actions:
• Correct the cause of the shock if
possible
• Keep the victim lying down
• Keep the victim’s airway open
• In the absence of broken bones, elevate
the victim’s legs so that the head is
lower than the trunk of the body
• Keep the victim warms
• Call for emergency assistance