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Protecting Healthcare Personnel :
Making the Case for Better Use of PPE , Eye Protection to Prevent Sharps Injuries and Blood / Body Fluid Exposures
Healthcare personnel can be exposed to potentially infectious blood , tissues , secretions , other body fluids , contaminated medical supplies , devices , and equipment , environmental surfaces , or air in healthcare settings .”
By Kelly M . Pyrek
Even as the healthcare sector begins to expand its former laser focus on respiratory infections only due to the COVID-19 pandemic , recently released data indicate the need to keep sharp-object injuries and blood and body fluid exposures from falling off the collective radar .
Ensuring the occupational health of caregivers is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC )’ s Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings . These recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee ( HICPAC ) call for ensuring that healthcare personnel either receive immunizations or have documented evidence of immunity against vaccine-preventable diseases ; implement processes and sick leave policies to encourage healthcare personnel to stay home when they develop signs or symptoms of acute infectious illness ; and implementing a system for healthcare personnel to report signs , symptoms , and diagnosed illnesses that may represent a risk to their patients and coworkers . It also recommends adherence to “ federal and state standards and directives applicable to protecting healthcare workers against transmission of infectious agents , including OSHA ’ s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard , Personal Protective Equipment Standard , Respiratory Protection standard and TB compliance directive .”
As the CDC notes , “ Healthcare personnel can be exposed to potentially infectious blood , tissues , secretions , other body fluids , contaminated medical supplies , devices , and equipment , environmental surfaces , or air in healthcare settings . Mechanisms of occupational exposures include percutaneous injuries such as needlesticks , mucous membrane or non-intact skin contact via splashes or sprays , and inhalation of aerosols . Healthcare personnel can also be exposed to infectious diseases in the community and risk transmitting them to others at work . Appropriate management of potentially infectious exposures and illnesses among healthcare personnel can prevent the development and transmission of infections . Effective management of exposures and illnesses includes promptly assessing exposures and diagnosing illness , monitoring for the development of signs and symptoms of disease and providing appropriate post-exposure or illness management . Providing exposure and illness management services also affords the opportunity for counseling to address healthcare personnel concerns about issues such as potential infection , adverse effects of post-exposure prophylaxis , and work restrictions .”
The CDC adds that a substantial number of potentially infectious exposures occur in the workplace , despite longstanding regulations and guidelines in place for their prevention and providing timely and