PHLEBOTOMY

SAFETY
STANDARDS AND
PROCEDURES
PPE FOR THE PHLEBOTOMIST

Personal Protective Equipment

[PPE] protects the Phlebotomist
from contact with:

- blood or

- other infectious materials

Types of PPE for Phlebotomist
1. GLOVES * are clean and nonsterile

-* must be worn at all times

when handling blood or other
body fluids

* must be worn when handling

contaminated items
* must be worn when touching nonintact
skin or mucous membranes

* change gloves between each patient

* don’t reuse gloves

Removal of Gloves :
After use, gloves should be removed in a
safe aseptic manner.
1. Pinch one gloves below the wrist and pull it
off inside out.
2. Peel away from the body
3. Hold inside out gloves the other hand
4. Slip a finger under the second glove and
pull off by touching only the inner surface
5. The glove is then pulled inside out over the
hand so that the first glove ends up inside the
second gloves
6. Dispose in a biohazard bin
7. Wash hands
2. LAB COATS * protects against accidental spills

* long sleeves are recommended for

further protection

* a clean lab coat looks professional

* prevents cross contamination

* DON’T wear your lab coat when not

on duty.
3. Goggles and Masks * a mask can be worn to
protect against droplets,
by coughing or sneezing

* goggles are worn to protect

the eyes from splashes or
sprays of body fluids
4. Shoe * wear whole shoes to protect your feet
from spills

* wear comfortable and supportive shoes

5. Accessories * avoid wearing hanging earrings

* avoid bangles and bracelets on hands
* avoid neck chains
* avoid bulging rings
6. Hair * hair should be well groomed
* avoid open hair styles

7. Nails * nails should be well groomed

* clean and neat
*long nails can bust the gloves and
cause accidents during
venipuncture
HAND WASHING
*Wash your hands to prevent the spread of
infection
*Wash hands before and after each patient
TECHNIQUE:
1. Stand back so that you don’t touch the
sink
2. Wet hands and apply soap
3. Scrub all surfaces, including between the
fingers and around the knuckles, rub
vigorously
4. Rinse hands in a downward motion from
wrist to fingertips
5. Use a clean paper towel to turn of tap. Dry
hands with another paper towel
 INFECTION
Infection is a condition that
results when a microorganism
[or microbe] invades the body,
multiply and cause injury or
disease.
Microbes include
- Bacteria

- Fungi

- Protozoa

- Viruses
Microbes that are pathogenic [causing
disease] are called pathogens.

Some pathogenic microbes causes

infections that are communicable.
[spreads from person to person]

Since infectious microbes are invisible

to the naked eye, we can forget that a
healthcare environment can be
teeming with them. A
CHAIN OF INFECTION
BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS

Bloodborne pathogens are

microorganisms such as viruses or
bacteria that are carried in the blood
and can cause disease in people

E.g. HIV
HEPATITIS B
HEPATITIS C
NEEDLESTICK
Incase of a needlestick
1. Report to supervisor immediately
2. Virology Testing performed for
baseline values.
3. Antiviral drugs/medications given
for safety
4. Repeat testing in 3 months and
then 6 months
Harzard
A hazard is anything which has
the potential to cause harm, damage or
adverse health effects to someone or
something

- Safety : spills, clutter, wet floor

- Chemical: liquids, gases, fumes
- Biological: bacteria, viruses, mold
- Physical: noise, temperature
- Ergonomic: strain on the body, position
- Work Organization: stress
 FIRE SAFETY
FIRE SAFTEY IS IMPORTANT
IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES,
BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER
OF VULNERABLE PEOPLE ON
THE PREMISES

ALL EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE

AWARE OF THE COMPANY’S
PROCEDURE IN CASE OF A
FIRE-Muster Point, Evacuation
Routes
FIRE
EXTINGUISHERS
 PLEASE READ
CHAPTER 3
PAGES 60-97
IN PHLEBOTOMY
ESSENTIALS
TEXTBOOK