BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS for Clinical Students

1. BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS for Clinical Students Celeste Osgood, RN,BSN Director JSCC Health Services

2. What Are Bloodborne Pathogens? • micro-organisms: • Hepatitis B (HBV) • Hepatitis C (HCV) • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) • substances that are carried by the blood or other body fluids and cause illness or injury to the body. • Viruses and bacteria are pathogens and many are “bloodborne”

3. DANGEROUS BUSINESS • 12,000 Health Care Workers (HCW’s) infected w/HBV in 1985 • 8,700 HCW’s infected w/HBV annually; decrease due to availability of HBV vaccine, universal precautions & educational programs • HBV is also sexually transmitted, not just HIV • HBV more common & more potent per drop of fluid than HIV • Some HBV+ individuals have no symptoms & may not know they are infected

4. What Can I Do? • As a student of a health related program, you are at risk for exposure to bloodborne pathogens. • Presence of mind is your most important protection against contamination • Know your program policy (see student handbook) and follow it without exception

5. BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS STANDARD • Because these pathogens are so deadly and have spread so seriously, the government has issued safety rules for everyone who regularly comes into contact with blood or body fluids of other people • The regulatory agency is OSHA and the rules are known as the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard

6. THE EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN • An Exposure Control Plan (ECP) is developed and enforced by your employer to protect you from exposure to bloodborne pathogens • The plan identifies those at risk for exposure, mandates educational training sessions for those included in the plan, and outlines guidelines to be followed to reduce the risk of occupational exposure • Clinical students are covered under the ECP of the clinical site to which they are assigned

7. THE EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN • Provides procedures to be followed if an exposure occurs • The hepatitis B vaccine is made available to those identified as at potential risk for exposure

8. 3 MOST COMMON PATHOGENS HIV, HBV, & HCV are 3 of the most common bloodborne pathogens • HIV infects 40,000 people annually • 1 out of 250 people in the US are infected with HIV • HBV infects 500,000 people annually • 1 out of 20 people in the US are infected with HBV • HCV infects 36,000 people annually

9. HIV • HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the virus associated with AIDS • There is no specific treatment for it • There is no cure • There is no preventative vaccine • Over 3 million people in the USA are currently infected with HIV

10. HIV • About 40,000 new cases of HIV infection are reported each year in the US • One half of the people who have developed AIDS from HIV infection are already dead • It’s a fickle virus but it has been shown to survive in blood for 2 days

11. HEPATITIS B • The second of the most common bloodborne pathogens is the hepatitis B virus • HBV is more easily transmitted than HCV or HIV • 170 million people in the world are infected with HBV • There are 1 - 1.5 million chronic Hep B carriers in the US • 10% of infected individuals will develop chronic Hepatitis B

12. HEPATITIS B • Chronic carriers can infect others • HBV has been documented to live 52 days in a dry drop of blood • 4-6,000 people die annually from chronic liver disease caused by HBV • There is no specific treatment and no cure • There is an available vaccine for HBV: 3 injections given over 6 months

13. HEPATITIS C • HCV transmitted similar ways to HIV & HBV • The new case rate is growing at 250,000 per year in the US • HCV has a high rate of chronic infection: 3 million cases presently in US • 75% of people infected with HCV show no symptoms, but 85% will develop chronic disease

14. HEPATITIS C • Chronic carriers may have no symptoms for up to 30 years • Hep C is the leading indicator for liver transplants • 10,000 people die annually from Hep C related chronic liver disease • There no cure, but newly approved antiviral drugs have been effective for some • There is NO vaccine for HCV

15. BODY SUBSTANCE ISOLATION & UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS • Treat all blood and body fluids as if they were contaminated with a bloodborne pathogen

16. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT • Use whatever is recommended to protect you from exposure • - gloves, gowns, goggles, masks • - face shields, full body suit

17. WORK PRACTICES • No recapping needles • No handling contaminated sharps • Discard sharps in puncture proof containers marked with biohazard symbol • Discard non sharps (gloves, linen) in appropriate biohazard containers (not in sharps box)

18. ENGINEERING CONTROLS • Use sharps containers and don’t overfill • Use safety needles, angiocaths, and other safety sharps

19. BIOHAZARD SYMBOL Become familiar with the symbol

20. CONTAIN/CLEAN-UP SPILLS • Wearing proper attire, contain a blood or body fluid spill by using a 1:10 solution of bleach

21. FINAL TIPS • Keep your hands out of your mouth • Wash your hands each time you remove your gloves and as frequently as possible • Handwashing is still the most important line of defense • Complete the Hepatitis B vaccine series (3 injections over 6 months) available at the JSCC Health Service

22. How to Get Hep B Vaccine • Pay for the first 2 injections at the JSCC Business Office ($70.00) • Bring the receipt to the Student Health Service (Rm 10, SUB) • 2nd vaccine will be administered 30 days after the 1st • 3rd vaccine will be administered 5 months after the 2nd ($35.00; bring your receipt) • A blood sample will be drawn 2 months after the 3rd vaccine to check for immunity (titer)

23. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, YOU MAY: • Talk with your instructor • Stop by the Student Health Service for additional information or hand outs • Check out some of the great links on our website • Refer to the student handbook for your clinical program

24. Best Wishes from Student Health Services • We wish you all the best as you continue in your clinical training. We are here to help you!