Universal precautions require all the healthcare staff including the support personnel performing house-keeping duties to wear certain protective gear if their duties involves coming in contact with a patient or any blood or body fluid, due to the possibility of contracting and spreading infections.

Though the amount of personal equipment used might depend on the specific duties being undertaken, the following are 4 of the most common items used in any healthcare facility.

– Gloves: It is your hands that come in maximum contact whether it is simply moving the patient or administering basic treatments like bandaging or giving injections to more invasive treatment like surgery. Latex gloves are commonly used in healthcare facilities and must be changed as often as you may deem necessary. Besides changing gloves between patients, in certain cases it is recommended to use new gloves between treatments to the same patient to prevent risks of cross contamination. Gloves must never be reused and should be removed immediately after the treatment is over. Also remember to remove the gloves properly without touching it to your body or any other object. Finally you must wash your hands properly with a soap or hand cleaner.

– Gowns: Gowns are generally used only within the healthcare facility. A full body gown protects your regular clothes from splashes or stains, but more importantly it works as a physical barrier to keep infections at bay. In its absence your clothes might get contaminated and you may end up carrying the infection to your home. After the treatment or procedure is over the gown must be removed as soon as possible especially if it is soiled or wet. In most cases gowns are reused and you must ensure they are suitably laundered before the next use.

– Face Shields: A face shield or mask is worn to protect the delicate mucus membrane of your mouth and nose from accidental splashes or sprays of body fluid or blood. The use of surgical masks is preferable as compared to gauze or cotton masks as it provides a higher level of resistance to such fluids. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) masks may also be used because in such procedures you will have to be in close contact with the patient which can lead to an easy spread of infection. Like gloves, a majority of the face masks are of the disposable variety and must be discarded in a safe manner.

– Eyewear: Your eyes are another part that must be protected against accidental splashes of fluid. You can use glasses, visors or a more robust variety of goggles that, in addition to shielding you from infection also provide physical protection. If you do not wish to use too many pieces of gear you can even opt for a face mask which includes a visor-like protection for your eyes. If the eyewear is reusable ensure is it suitably decontaminated.

Additional personal gear that may be used according to the situation will include shoe covers, aprons and hair or head covers. Remember that any kind of personal equipment will help you to add another level of security against infection.

For more information, please visit our universal precautions website.

For more information, please visit our universal precautions website http://www.universalprecautions.com

Author Bio: For more information, please visit our universal precautions website.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: infections,healthcare staff ,house-keeping ,Universal Precautions