Universal Precautions

Definition

• Universal precautions are recommended practices used to minimize the risk of exposure to infectious diseases and pathogens(germs) carried in blood and body fluids

Bloodborne Pathogens

• Blood borne pathogens are infectious microorganisms in blood that can cause disease in people

Example of Blood Borne Pathogens

• Hepatitis B

• Hepatitis C

• HIV

Hepatitis B

• Transmitted by blood

• Sexually transmitted

• IV drug users

• Household contact(sharing razors, toothbrushes, drinking after person)

• Can be treated with medications

• Vaccine available

Hepatitis C

• Primarily blood borne • Sexual transmission• Prenatal• Can be transmitted by blood to blood contact

such as non-sterile tattoos, syringes, cuts, etc• No vaccine is available• May be treated with medication if chronic and

causing liver damage

HIV/Aids

• Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome• Live vaccines should not be administered• Follow universal precautions such as

handwashing, proper handling and disposal of sharps/contaminated materials

• Cleaning/disinfecting after any contact with blood

• Personal protection barriers;gloves, masks, goggles, etc as needed

Common Ways to be exposed to Pathogens in the School Setting

• Nosebleeds• Lost teeth• Cuts• Fights• Vomit• Bathroom accidents/soiled clothing• Contaminated surfaces• Tissues/bandages

Modes of Pathogen Transmission

• Contact from skin to skin or from contaminated surfaces

• Air-born infectious particles in the air

• Droplets from sneezing, coughing, or talking

Body Fluids

• When dealing with any body fluids assume that every person has an infectious disease

Protocol for safely dealing with exposure to blood and other potentially

infectious materials

• Essential techniques used to control infections are: effective hand hygiene, using gloves and other barriers, disposing of waste appropriately, and cleaning spills promptly and carefully

Hand Hygiene

• Hand hygiene is the single most important activity to decrease the spread of infections of all kinds

Hand Hygiene

• Wash your hands after using the restroom; before eating; before touching your mouth, face, or eyes

• Should have access to warm water, soap, and towels

• Waterless hand sanitizer may be used if there is no visible soiling of hands; should not be substituted for soap/water; always wash with soap/water after several uses of hand sanitizer

• After wearing gloves

Hand Hygiene

• Apply a dime sized amount of soap/cleaner to hands

• Rub hands vigorously for 10-15 seconds

• Scrub between fingers, under nails, tops of hands and wrist. Sing Yankee Doodle Dandy or Happy Birthday to ensure you spend enough time!

Barriers

• Always wear gloves or place some type of barrier between you and the person you are caring for

• Always wear gloves during clean up procedures

Skin wounds

• Skin wounds such as scratches, abrasions, lacerations, and weeping skin lesions are potentially infectious

• Cover all wounds with a secure bandage

• The injured person should perform his/her own wound care whenever possible

Skin wounds

• Students should be instructed not to handle other people’s blood;should not be asked to assist in controlling a bleeding injury,should not clean blood contaminated enviromental surfaces(such as floors or wrestling mats) or handle contaminated laundry

Blood

• Blood on the skin should be washed off thoroughly with soap and water.

• Activities may be resumed after the wound is covered as long as the injury is minor

Pressure to stop a bleeding wound

• Always wear gloves

• Gloves should never be reused

• Apply new bandage over bandage if saturated with blood

Clean up Procedure

• Always use disposable towels for cleaning up blood or body fluids

• Clean surfaces with an approved disinfectant for schools

• Wet surface with disinfectant; leave on wet for 10 minutes, wipe dry

• Bleach is not used in WCPS

Clean up Procedure

• All materials contaminated with blood/body fluids should be double bagged in a trash liner and sealed

• Gloves should be disposed of in trash

• Trash liners should not be reused

• Trash should be discarded as soon as possible

Non-disposable cleaning equipment and materials

• Mop heads should be disinfected with approved school disinfectant

• Any linens should be stored in a plastic bag until laundered

• Thoroughly wash hands after cleaning even if gloves were worn

Used needles, syringes, other sharp objects

• Needles should not be recapped, bent or removed from the syringe before disposal

• Each school clinic has a Sharps container for all needles

• When the container is 3/4 full; notify the facilities manager by work order that a pick up is needed

Respiratory Etiquette

• Always cover mouth/nose when coughing/sneezing

• Use a tissue to cover mouth or blow nose; dispose of in trash

• Use sleeve/arm instead of hands

• Wash hands or use hand sanitizer after sneezing/coughing or blowing nose

MRSA

• Stands for “Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus”

• Became a “super bug” because of overuse of antibiotics by the health care community

• Is resistant to commonly used antibiotics

Treatment of MRSA

• MRSA can be treated by sulfa drugs and Clindamycin

• It is easily killed by good hand hygiene; hand sanitizers and washing with soap/water

• Most forms encountered in schools only cause simple skin infections

• Report any weeping skin lesions to school nurse; even “acne” on face if openly oozing

Exposure

• Do not share towels, drink after others, share razors, toothbrushes

• Even though blood borne pathogens have not been shown to be transmitted in saliva, you should not share personal items

• Blood borne pathogen infections, even when treated, may sometimes be fatal

Education

• Attention to infection prevention and control by all school employees will help attain the goal of maintaining student and employee health.

• Teachers and nurses need to be alert to patterns of illness that may emerge