Objectives Objectives Understand the hazards that exist in long - PDF document

The Arkansas Self-Insurance Trust and Mike Johnson & Associates present Exposure Control Practices for Housekeeping and Laundry Staff Today’s Presenter: Darrell G. Toenjes, ARM, CHSP, CWCP Darrell G. Toenjes, ARM, CHSP, CWCP Healthcare Risk Management Consultant Healthcare Risk Management Consultant Midwest Employers Casualty Company Midwest Employers Casualty Company • 25 years in insurance industry • Corporate Risk Manager, Employee Safety – SSM Health Care • Operations Manager – Sedgwick CMS • National Program Manager – Ascension Health Objectives Objectives • Understand the hazards that exist in long term care • Learn how to protect yourself from these hazards 1

What are the hazards? • Bloodborne Pathogens • Other Potentially Infectious Material (OPIM) • Airborne diseases: influenza, common colds How do we protect ourselves and our residents? • Universal Precautions • Hand washing • PPE • Decon • Isolation What are Universal Precautions? • Assuming all body fluids are potentially infectious • Actions that you take to place barriers between you and potentially infected body fluids 2

What are the “barriers” that I use? • Hand washing • PPE • Bags, containers and bagging • Spills and Spill Kits • Decontamination • Isolation • Sharps Containers Hand washing • Immediately after cleaning isolation rooms • Immediately after cleaning up blood or OPIM • Bathrooms • After handling trash, soiled linen, solutions used in isolation • After cleaning housekeeping equipment such as bedpans and mops • After handling chemicals, if hands are exposed • After cleaning equipment and work areas Follow these steps to properly wash your hands: • Wet your hands with running water • Apply liquid, bar or powder soap • Lather well • Rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails • Rinse well • Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel or air dryer • If possible, use your towel to turn off the faucet 3

Keep in mind….. • Antibacterial soap is no more effective than regular soap • Antibacterial soap can lead to development of bacteria that are resistant to the product’s antimicrobial agents – Ha rd e r to kill the se g e rms in the future Keep in mind….. • Alcohol-based hand sanitizers – Do no t re q uire wa te r – Are a n e xc e lle nt a lte rna tive to so a p a nd wa te r – Sho uld c o nta in a t le a st 60% a lc o ho l • Proper use – Ap p ly e no ug h in the p a lm o f yo ur ha nd to we t yo ur ha nd s c o mp le te ly – Rub ha nd s to g e the r, c o ve ring a ll surfa c e s, fo r 25 se c o nd s • If hands are visibly dirty: – Wa sh with so a p a nd wa te r Personal protective equipment 4

Follow your protocols • Disposable latex gloves – use whe n wo rking with susp e c te d OPIM c le a nup a nd iso la tio n p ro c e d ure s – use whe n ha nd ling tra sh a nd line ns • Rubber gloves – use whe n wo rking with c he mic a ls in ro utine o r he a vy c le a ning p ro c e d ure s Follow your protocols • Face masks and aprons – use whe n wo rking with susp e c te d OPIM c le a nup a nd iso la tio n p ro c e d ure s – e sp e c ia lly in re sid e nts ro o ms, ho p p e r ro o ms a nd la und ry • Clean your equipment daily Spills and Spill Kits 5

Using spill kits • Use if blood is visible • Follow directions • Put on your provided gloves • Blot up the OPIM with the absorbent material • Use the disinfectant to clean and sterilize • Place absorbent material and gloves in provided bag and tie • Place provided bag in biohazard bag and wash your hands Cleaning up broken glass • Put on your protective gloves • Sprinkle absorbent material over the spill area • Wait for liquid to be absorbed • Carefully pick up and place glass fragments and absorbent material in appropriate puncture resistant container using appropriate equipment such as tongs, forceps, brush and pan Cleaning up broken glass • Never pickup the glass or material with you gloved hand! • Clean and decontaminate the spilled area • Remove and discard your gloves into the appropriate bag or container • Wash your hands • Clean and disinfect or discard your equipment 6

Cleaning & Decontamination Cleaning & Decontamination procedures • Follow the cleaning schedule in your Exposure Control Plan • Use the approved decontaminant • Use rubber gloves for equipment cleaning and surface cleaning • Use protective aprons if chemical splashing is likely Isolation procedures • Resident’s rooms – We a r p ro te c tive a p ro ns, g lo ve s, g o g g le s a nd ma sks in iso la tio n ro o ms if sp la she s c a n o c c ur – We a r g lo ve s a nd rub b e r a p ro ns whe n ha nd ling & so rting so ile d line ns – Ma sks a re re q uire d in c o nta c t iso la tio n ro o ms o r in a irb o rne iso la tio n ro o ms if no t a p p ro p ria te ly ve ntila te d 7

Isolation procedures • Resident’s rooms – All la und ry a rtic le s fro m iso la tio n ro o ms must b e se g re g a te d . – Re d b a g visib ly so ile d o r b lo o d y a rtic le s – Re me mb e r to wa sh yo ur ha nd s whe n yo u a re finishe d Handling potentially contaminated laundry Handling potentially contaminated laundry • Keep linens separated from normal laundry – b o th so ile d a nd c le a ne d – c o nta ine rs must b e la b e le d a nd c o lo r c o d e d • Wear protective gloves, masks and aprons • Wash hands after handling soiled linens and before handling cleaned linens 8

Sharps Containers -should be located in the laundry and shower rooms -should not be overfilled Biohazard waste storage Biohazard waste storage procedures • Biohazard waste must be stored in the approved containers or boxes • Red bags are placed in the containers or boxes • Double bagging – re c o mme nd e d p ra c tic e is to use two b a g s p e r c o nta ine r – fo ld o ne b a g o ve r the to p e d g e o f the c o nta ine r a s a line r, the n use the se c o nd b a g insid e the line r 9

Biohazard waste storage procedures • There should be no exposed items in the storage area – inc lud ing g lo ve s – o r o the r PPE – sup p lie s, suc h a s re d b a g s a nd uno p e ne d b o xe s, a re p e rmitte d • if they are several feet away from the opened containers and they are stored neatly Biohazard waste storage procedures • There should be no exposed items in, or on, the boxes or containers • Barrels and boxes must have lids or tops securely in place • Double isolation – hig hly re c o mme nd e d p ra c tic e – fo ld the to p o f the inne r b a g o ve r to c o ve r the c o nte nts a nd the n fo ld o r p la c e the c o nta ine r lid o ve r the to p o f the c o nta ine r Biohazard waste storage procedures • Storage for pickup must be isolated from other material, secured (locked) and rodent and animal free • Limit access of the storage areas to only trained staff • Check the condition of the storage areas daily • Doors to Biohazard storage areas must have a Universal Precautions Biohazard sign • Do not over stack the boxes or containers • Boxes or containers should not be placed directly on the floor 10

Thanks to….. • Lisa Duncan, Winnie Carrie and Tommy Roland – Newton County Nursing Home • Robin Looney - Hudson Memorial Nursing Home. • Kelly Walters & the Safety Team - Katherine’s Place • Angie Freer, Ralph Moore and Sandy Garlets – Fountain Lake Health & Rehab • Twana Smith & the Safety Team - The Maples at Har-Ber Meadows • Rebecca Cole and Merle Wilkins – St. Elizabeth’s Place • Amy Rollins – Reliance Healthcare • Robert Greene - Convacare Darrell G. Toenjes Jack McDaniel Healthcare Risk Management Safety/Loss Control Specialist Consultant Mike Johnson & Associates Midwest Employers Casualty Company Phone: 479-619-8045 Phone: 314-226-9706 mtecsafety@cox.net dtoenjes@mwecc.com 11