Blood borne Pathogen Refresher All nurses have to attend the bloodborne pathogen training every so often, but do we really pay attention? Studies indicate that taking the same training more than 3 times becomes repetitive to the point that the mind loses interest, and essentially does not pay attention. You could go for years and never need to revert back to the bloodborne training, but then again, you could need it next week, so a little refresher might come in handy. What are Bloodborne Pathogens? Bloodborne pathogens are tiny microorganisms that are infectious, and are present in human blood. They can cause disease in humans, such as hepatitis. Bloodborne pathogens can be transferred from one person to another by means of a needle stick, blood transfer, and sexual contact. Nurses are more vulnerable to bloodborne pathogen contaminants than any other group, mainly due to the job requirements that accompanies the job. Related: What does a nursing student look like? - International Nurses Association Preventing Exposure The number one thing that will help you avoid blood contamination is to take your time when working with a situation that could expose you. 9 out of 10 accidental needle sticks occurred when someone was in a hurry. A Scenario Jane was an experienced registered nurse, and had worked in nursing for 18 years. She worked in ICU and had enjoyed that job for the past 4 years. One night the emergency room of the hospital was overcrowded, and Jane’s supervisor asked if she would help the E.R. catch up on patients. Jane was happy to help and went to the E.R. Right away. As it turned out, they were beyond busy, Jane had not experienced that busy of an environment in years, and she was working hard to keep up with the flow of patients. One patient she saw had fallen after having too much to drink, he busted his head open and needed stitches. Because Jane was in such a hurry, she opted to give the patient his injection to numb the cut and prepare for stitches, without asking for assistance. The hospital rules were that if a patient was unruly, no needles should be used without additional staff to assist. She took a shortcut, and the needle pricked her own hand after his injection, he was swinging his arms. Luckily Jane did not contract anything from this incident, however, she was required to take another bloodborne
pathogens class. Blood contamination can happen quickly. Always think back to the BBP class, and consider what could possibly happen. A few precautions may take a little extra time, however, before taking a shortcut, consider safety, remember the class, and don't take a chance. Safety Medical facilities have rules and regulations in place to ensure the safety of patients and employees. Proper protective wear should always be worn when working with blood. Wearing 2 sets of gloves when you anticipate blood contact is a great extra safety measure. One can be removed if contaminated, and one still remains, so that changing out gloves is not necessary. Little things such as the extra gloves can provide extra safety, and prevent a contamination accident. Related: Premature Births The new type of needles most hospitals now use is aimed toward avoiding accidents. The decrease in accidental needle sticks has proven that the additional cost of the needles is well worth it. The unfortunate fact is, there are still about 7% of the nursing population that will experience an accidental needle stick in a year. Out of those accidental sticks roughly 2% will become infected with a bloodborne illness. Think safety when working with any patient, and if there is an unruly patient or a small child, get assistance, you are better off safe than sorry. Patients can be treated with dignity and respect, and understand that protective gear is worn for the safety of them and of the medical staff. If you feel that you need an actual refresher course of bloodbornepathogens, the American Red Cross offers a course online for around $20. Your employer will also offer a class for recertification. There are always resources to help refresh the safety measures to be used with blood. Remember, a minute saved is never worth an accidental stick. Related: Skilled Registered Nurse, Certified Hospice Nurse and Certified Legal Nurse Consultant Lucinda Perkins, RN, will be Spotlighted in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter