PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (HEALTHCARE) OSHA
In general, the outside _____ and sleeves of the isolation gown and outside front of the goggles, mask, respirator and face shield are considered "contaminated," regardless of whether there is visible soil.
front
What is the most common type of PPE used in healthcare settings which protects the hands?
gloves
Your patient care task requires gloves, a gown, goggles, and a mask. From this list which item of PPE should be put on last?
gloves
What type of PPE does healthcare workers use?
gloves, boot covers, aprons or isolation gowns, goggles and face shields, masks and respirators.
Sequence for removing PPE:
gloves, face shield/googles, gown, mask or respirator.
Sequence for putting on PPE:
gown, mask, goggles, gloves.
What type of PPE protects the mouth and nose?
masks
If only gloves are worn as PPE, it is safe to remove and discard them in the ._________ room.
patient
Mask:
should fully cover the nose and mouth in order to prevent fluid penetration. Masks should fit snugly over the nose and mouth. For this reason, masks that have a flexible nose piece and can be secured to the head with string ties or elastic are preferable.
Type of Anticipated Exposure:
such as touch, splashes, or sprays, or large volumes of blood or body fluids that might penetrate the clothing helps determine what type of PPE is required. The selection and combination of PPE is determined by the category of isolation precautions a patient is on.
When you are selecting PPE, there are three major things you should consider:
the type of anticipated exposure, the durability and appropriateness of the PPE for the task at hand, and the fit of the protective gear
Goggles should feel snug but not tight. Is this true or false?
true
Remove any jewelry before donning gloves and ensure your hands are washed using the hand hygiene techniques described in the Infection Control module. Is this true or false?
true
Durability and Appropriateness:
will be determined by the task at hand. For example, whether a gown or apron is appropriate, and if a gown is selected, whether it needs to be fluid resistant, fluid proof, or neither.
Should you remove a mask by handling it only by the ties or elastic bands?
yes
What are the safe work practices:
you should use safe work practices. Avoid contaminating yourself by keeping your hands away from your face and not touching or adjusting PPE. Also, remove your gloves if they become torn and perform hand hygiene before putting on a new pair of gloves. You should also avoid spreading contamination by limiting surfaces and items touched with contaminated gloves.
You should use standard precautions with....
all patients.
When removing PPE, are the outside front and sleeves of an isolation gown considered clean or contaminated?
contaminated
There are ____ major components to healthcare worker safety programs.
4
The major components are:
First on the list is training and administrative controls, like isolation policies and procedures, and procedures for recognizing patients with a communicable disease before they expose workers. Second are engineering controls like negative pressure rooms for patients with airborne diseases such as tuberculosis. Third are work practice controls such as prohibiting recapping needles. These topics are discussed in more detail in the Infection Control and Bloodborne Pathogens modules. The fourth component is PPE. While PPE is last in the hierarchy of prevention, it is very important for protecting healthcare workers from disease transmission.
In order to StartSafe and StaySafe when it comes to PPE, there are two critical things you must do before you perform a job:
First, identify the potential hazards. Second, control those hazards.
What are the four key points to remember about PPE use?
First, put it on before you have any contact with the patient, generally before entering the room. Once you have PPE on, use it carefully to prevent spreading contamination. When you have completed your tasks, remove the PPE carefully and discard it in the receptacles provided. After removing PPE, immediately perform hand hygiene before going on to the next patient. The action of putting on PPE is frequently called donning PPE and taking it off is referred to as doffing PPE.
There are also two ways to control hazards:
First, try to eliminate or reduce the hazard. Second, if the hazard cannot be eliminated or reduced, then PPE should be worn to protect you from the hazard.
Fit:
PPE must fit the individual user, and it is up to the employer to ensure that all PPE are available in sizes appropriate for the workforce that must be protected.
Face Shield:
When skin protection is needed, in addition to mouth, nose, and eye protection, a face shield can be used as a substitute to wearing a mask or goggles. For example, when irrigating a wound or suctioning copious secretions. The face shield should cover the forehead, extend below the chin, and wrap around the side of the face.
How to put on gloves:
1: Make sure to select the right size glove for your hand. 2: Remove any jewelry before donning the gloves. 3: Ensure your hands are washed. 4: Select a glove from the container and check for any visible defects. 5: Open the glove at the cuff and insert the hand into the glove. 6: Once the hand is inserted, move the fingers down into the glove's fingers to properly align it and ensure you have a snug fit all over. 7: Roll the cuff of the glove down the wrist until the glove is secure. 8: Apply the same technique for the second glove.
What is the order for safely donning a mask with ties?
1: Place the mask over your mouth, nose, and chin 2: Fit the flexible nose piece to the form of your nose bridge. 3:Tie the upper set of ties at the back of your head and the lower set at the base of your neck.
How to put on a mask with ties:
1: Place the mask over your mouth, nose, and chin. 2: Fit the flexible nose piece to the form of your nose bridge. 3: Tie the upper set of ties at the back of your head and the lower set at the base of your neck.
How to put on goggles or a face shield:
1: Position either device over the face and/or eyes and secure to head using the attached ear pieces or head band. 2: Adjust to fit comfortably. Goggles should feel snug but not tight.
How to remove a mask:
1: Remove the mask by handling only the ties or elastic bands, starting with the bottom then moving to the top tie or band. 2: Lift the mask or respirator away from your face and discard it into the designated waste receptacle.
What is the order for safely donning a gown?
1: Select the appropriate type for the task and the right size for you. 2:Put the gown on so that the opening of the gown is at the back. 3: Secure the gown at the neck and waist.
How to put on a mask with elastic head bands:
1: Separate the two bands, hold the mask in one hand and the bands in the other. 2: Place and hold the mask over your nose, mouth, and chin, then stretch the bands over your head and secure them comfortably as shown; one band on the upper back of your head, the other below the ears at the base of the neck.
How to remove an isolation gown:
1: Unfasten the gown ties with your ungloved hand. 2: Slip your hands underneath the gown at the neck and shoulder and peel the gown away from the shoulders. 3: Slip the fingers of one hand under the cuff of the opposite arm. 4: Pull the hand into the sleeve, grasping the gown from the inside. 5: Reach across and push the sleeve off the opposite arm. 6: Fold the gown towards the inside and fold or roll into a bundle. Only the "clean" part of the gown should be visible. 7: Discard the gown by placing it in the waste or linen container, as appropriate.
How to remove a face shield or goggles:
1: Using ungloved hands, grasp the "clean" ear or head pieces and lift it away from your face. 2: If the goggles or face shield is reusable, place them in a designated receptacle for subsequent reprocessing. Otherwise, discard them in the waste receptacle.
How to remove gloves:
1: When removing gloves, grasp the outer edge of the glove near the wrist area. Fold it over and peel it away from the hand turning it inside out as you remove it. This will trap any potential infectious materials inside the glove. 2: Once the glove is off, hold it with the gloved hand. To remove the other glove, place your bare fingers inside the cuff without touching the exterior of the glove. Peel the glove off from the inside turning it inside out as it moves down and use it to envelop the other glove. 3: Discard the gloves appropriately.
How do you don a gown?
1: first select the appropriate type for the task and the right size for you. 2:Put the gown on so that the opening of the gown is at the back. 3: Secure the gown at the neck and waist. If the gown is too small to fully cover your torso, use two gowns. 4: If using two gowns, put on the first gown with the opening at the front and the second gown over the first with the opening at the back.
For workers to be protected from hazards, employers must follow the hierarchy of hazard control.
First, if possible, eliminate the hazards from the work environment. If the tasks can be completed without a hazard, then that is the safest solution. Second, if feasible, substitute the hazard with a safer alternative if the hazard cannot be removed. For example, an employer can replace a harsh cleaning chemical with one that has fewer potential side effects on the workers who use it. Third, if there is no feasible substitute for the hazard, implement engineering controls. Engineering controls ultimately isolate people from the hazard. For instance, a guard on a rotating blade prevents a worker from touching the blade. Fourth, if engineering controls do not sufficiently protect workers from hazards or cannot be implemented, administrative controls are the next step. This means that the way people work is changed to create a safer work environment. This can involve safe lifting practices being implemented in manufacturing plants or warehouses in addition to many other techniques. Finally, if the previous steps still allow workers to be exposed to potential hazards, personal protective equipment (PPE) must be selected and implemented in the work environment. PPE includes respirators, hearing protection, face shields, gloves, boots, and other protective clothing. Remember that this is a hierarchy: eliminating the hazard is always the most effective way to guarantee workers' safety, and PPE is the least effective.
Respirator:
Not all healthcare workers will use a respirator. If your job does require you to use one, your employer is required to have you medically evaluated to determine that it is safe for you to wear a respirator, to fit test you for the appropriate respirator size and type, and to train you on how and when to use a respirator. You are responsible for fit checking your respirator before each use to make sure it has a proper seal.
When removing PPE, is the inside of a glove considered clean or contaminated?
clean
When a gown or full PPE is worn, PPE should be removed at the ______ or in an ____.
doorway, anteroom
Who is responsible for making sure that PPE fits each worker properly?
employer
Who is responsible for training workers on the use of PPE?
employer
What type of PPE protects the face, mouth, nose, and eyes?
face shield
What's the PPE used in the healthcare field?
gloves, which protect hands; gowns or aprons, which protect skin and clothing; goggles, which protect the eyes; face shields, which protect the face, mouth, nose, and eyes; masks, which protect the mouth and nose; and respirators, which protect the respiratory tract from airborne infectious agents.
When your employer performs an assessment of the area, what are they trying to find?
hazards
Goggles:
provide barrier protection for the eyes; personal prescription lenses do not provide optimal eye protection and should not be used as a substitute for goggles. Goggles should fit snugly over and around the eyes or personal prescription lenses. Goggles with anti-fog features will help maintain clarity of vision.
What are the standard precautions intended for?
to prevent the transmission of common infectious agents to healthcare personnel, patients, and visitors in healthcare settings.
