Infection Control for New York Health Care Professional ‒ 2024 Update ________________________________
The National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) com- bines the efforts of local and state health departments, along with the CDC and other healthcare organizations, to collect health data electronically and contribute the data to a shared platform called the BioSense Platform. This data can be used to identify, track, and provide warning systems for public health concerns that could affect the community at large CDC [4]. ELEMENT III Use of engineering and work practice controls to reduce the opportunity for patient and healthcare worker exposure to potentially infectious material in all healthcare settings [1]. See Element III Glossary. Content Outline I. High-Risk Practices and Procedures (by Exposure Type) Capable of Causing Healthcare Acquired Infection with Bloodborne Pathogens: A. Percutaneous exposures. 1. Exposures occurring through handling/disas- sembly/disposal/reprocessing of contaminated needles and other sharp objects. 2. Performing procedures where there is poor visu- alization, such as the following: a. Blind suturing. b. Non-dominant hand opposing or next to a sharp. c. Performing procedures where bone spicules or metal fragments are produced. B. Mucous membrane/non-intact skin exposures. C. Parenteral exposures: 1. Injection with infectious material may occur during:
3. Referral of providers to licensing boards for disciplinary action. 4. Malpractice suits filed by patients. B. Pathogens including HCV, HBV, and human immu- nodeficiency virus (HIV) can be present in sufficient quantities to produce infection in the absence of visible blood. 1. Bacteria and other microbes can be present without clouding or other visible evidence of contamination. 2. The absence of visible blood or signs of contami- nation in a used syringe, IV tubing, multi- or single-dose medication vial, or blood glucose monitoring device does NOT mean the item is free from potentially infectious agents. C. Proper infection control technique requires that healthcare providers must do the following: 1. Maintain aseptic technique throughout all aspects of injection preparation and administra- tion: a. Medications should be drawn up in a des- ignated “clean” medication area that is not adjacent to areas where potentially contami- nated items are placed. b. Disinfect the access diaphragms of medica- tion vials before inserting a device into the vial. c. Ensure proper hand hygiene before handling medications. d. Never leave a needle or other device (e.g., “spikes”) inserted into a medication vial septum or IV bag/bottle for multiple uses unattended. This provides a direct route for microorganisms to enter the vial and contaminate the fluid. e. Medication vials should be discarded upon expiration or any time there are concerns regarding the sterility of the medication. 2. Never administer medications from the same syringe to more than one patient, even if the needle is changed. 3. Never use the same syringe or needle to admin- ister IV medications to more than one patient, even if the medication is administered into the IV tubing, regardless of the distance from the IV insertion site. a. All of the infusion components from the infusate to the patient’s catheter are a single interconnected unit.
a. Administration of parenteral medication. b. Sharing of blood monitoring devices (e.g., glucometers, hemoglobinometers, lancets, lancet platforms/pens). c. Infusion of contaminated blood products or fluids.
II. Safe Injection Practices and Procedures Designed to Pre- vent Disease Transmission from Patient to Patient and Healthcare Worker to Patient. A. Unsafe injection practices have resulted in one or more of the following: 1. Transmission of bloodborne viruses, including hepatitis B and C viruses to patients. 2. Notification of thousands of patients of possible exposure to bloodborne pathogens and recom- mendation that they be tested for hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, and human immunode- ficiency virus (HIV).
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