Safety: Protecting Yourself Should Be Your #1 Priority

Abstract

Working in a hospital in and of itself can be an unsafe act. Sounds harsh, doesn’t it? The truth is that a healthcare organization can be looked at as a house with several visitors who carry illness and disease into a localized area, thereby increasing the potential for healthcare workers to get sick. Although this is by nature unavoidable, there are steps that healthcare workers can take to minimize their susceptibility to illness in their workplaces. Although most safety concerns that biomeds typically address are equipment related, patient and operator safety issues also must be considered. All healthcare workers should guard against the potential for acquiring or spreading disease when coming in contact with patients, as well as equipment. Certain departments within healthcare organizations—particularly infection control and risk management departments, which provide education to keep all personnel informed of potential exposures and hazards, as well as preventative measures—can be helpful in these endeavors. Hand washing is one of the most effective safety measures, and proper technique—including the use of soap and alcohol-based rubs—is essential to halt the spread of infection. Hand washing with soap requires first wetting hands with warm running water, then applying the soap and rubbing hands together—while keeping them lower than elbows—until the soap lathers. Wash vigorously for 15 seconds and focus on all parts of the hands (front and back, in between fingers, under nails and over wrists), then rinse the hands thoroughly under running water with fingertips pointed down. Hands should then be dried thoroughly, and—since not everyone is as meticulous as they should be—use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door. Hands must be clear of visible debris when using alcohol-based rubs. If not, you need to wash your hands. And when applying the alcohol rub, more is not better—a single application of the dispenser is enough to do the trick. Rub hands together, using the same technique as for hand washing (front and back, in between fingers, under nails, and over wrists) until all of the alcohol evaporates. If the alcohol does not fully evaporate before you are finished, you have not performed the proper technique. Seems pretty basic right? The next step is to decide when to perform such measures. To ensure you are not bringing in or leaving with any unwanted pathogens, wash your hands at the start and at the end of each shift. When on the floors, wash your hands before and after you enter patient rooms. And although it may seem almost too basic to mention, it is also essential to wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, or using the restroom. Believe Safety: Protecting Yourself Should Be Your #1 Priority