OBSERVING STANDARD PRECAUTIONS Needle stick Safety and Prevention Act in

November, 2000 according to OSHA

Blood borne Pathogen Standards according to Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1. Identify and use effective and safer
medical devices.
1. Develop a written exposure control plan, and update it 2. Incorporate changes in annual update of
annually, to minimize or eliminate employee exposure to Exposure Control Plan.
blood borne pathogens. 3. Maintain a sharps injury log.
2. Identify all employees who have occupational exposure to 4. Solicit input from non - managerial
blood or potentially infectious materials such as semen, employees who are responsible for direct
vaginal secretions, and other body fluids. patient care.
3. Provide hepatitis B vaccine free of charge to all employees 5. Use appropriate puncture proof disposal
who have occupational exposure, and obtain a written containers to dispose of uncapped needles
release form signed by any employee who does not want & sharp objects.
the vaccine. 6. Never bend or break needles before disposal.
4. Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, 7. Never recap used needle except under specified
gowns, lab coats, masks, and face shields in appropriate circumstances.
sizes and in accessible location. 8. When using a needle:
5. Provide adequate hand washing facilities and supplies. a. Use a safety mechanical device.
6. Ensure that the worksite is maintained in a clean and b. Use a one handed scoop method.
sanitary condition; follow measures for immediate
decontamination of any surface that comes in contact with Additional Info:
blood or infectious materials, and dispose of infectious STERILE TECHNIQUE
waste correctly.
7. Enforce rules of no eating, drinking, smoking, applying Surgical Asepsis
cosmetics or lip balm, handling contact lenses, and mouth  Refers to procedures that keep an object or area free from
pipetting or suctioning in any area that can be potentially living organisms.
contaminated by blood or other body fluid.
8. Provide appropriate containers that are color coded Sterile vs contaminated
(fluorescent orange or orange-red) and labeled for
contaminated sharps (needles, scalpels) and other Sterile
infectious or biohazard wastes.  Means “Free from all organisms” including spores and
9. Post signs at the entrance to work areas where there is viruses.
occupational exposure to bio hazardous materials.
10. Provide a confidential medical evaluation and follow-up for Contaminated
any employee who has an exposure incident.  Means that organisms and pathogens are present.
11. Provide training about the regulation and all potential
biohazards to all employees at no cost during working hours Sterile field
and provide additional education as needed.
 An area where sterile tools or materials are placed.
 2 inches border around the sterile field is considered
contaminated
 Common techniques used to remove articles from sterile
wraps:
  Drop – used for gauze pads, dressings and small items iii. Staphylococci – appear in cluster or groups. The most
 Mitten – used for bowls, drapes, linen and other similar common pyogenic (pus-producing) microorganisms.
items. Staphylococci cause infection such as boils, wound
infections and toxic shock.
 Transfer forceps – used for cotton balls, small items or
b. Bacilli – rod-shaped bacteria (See figure 3). They can occur
articles that cannot be removed by the drop or mitten
singly, in pairs, or in chains, may contain flagella (tails).
techniques. They have the ability to form spore form and difficult to kill.
Disease causes by bacilli are tuberculosis; tetanus;
Figure 1. Microorganism pertussis or whooping cough; botulism; diphtheria and
typhoid.
c. Spirilla – spiral shaped bacteria (See Figure 4). Disease
INFECTION CONTROL cause by spirilla includes syphilis and cholera.

Microorganism (See figure 1)

 Small, living organism that is not visible to
the naked eye.
 Can be found in the environment and even Figure 2.
in the body. Types of
Cocci
Types of Microorganism
1. Nonpathogens
- Part of the normal flora (plant life adapted for living in a specific
environment) of the body
- Beneficial in maintaining certain processes
2. Pathogens
- Also known as germ (in common people) Figure 3. Bacilli
- Microorganism that causes infection and diseases

FYI
Microorganism that is beneficial in one body system can become Figure 4. Spirilla with flagella
pathogenic when it is present in another body system. Example: a
bacterium called Escherichia coli (E. coli) us part of the natural flora of the
large intestine. If E. coli enters the urinary system, however it causes an
infection.

Classification of Microorganisms
1. Bacteria 2. Fungi
 Characteristic are simple.  Simple, plant-like organisms
 Can be killed by antibiotics but some bacteria are resistant to that live on dead organic
antibiotic which are hard to kill. matter. (See figure 6)
 Classification of bacteria:  Yeast and molds are common
a. Cocci – round or spherical in shape. (See figure 2) forms that can be pathogenic.
i. Diplococci – paired cocci. Bacteria that cause diseases  They cause ringworm,
such as gonorrhea, meningitis, and pneumonia. athlete’s foot, histoplasmosis, yeast vaginitis, and thrush.
ii. Streptococci – appear in chains, they cause severe sore  Antiobiotics do not kill fungi. Antifungal medications are available
throat (strep throat) and rheumatic fever. for many of the pathogenic fungi.
 3. Parasites
 Parasitic microorganisms, which
means they cannot live outside
the host.
 Commonly found in fleas, lice,
ticks, and mites and are
transmitted to humans by bites
of insects.
 Can cause typhus fever and
Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
2. Exogenous – infection or disease originates outside the body.
Example, radiation, pathogens invades the body, chemical agents,
electric shock, temperature extremes, and trauma.
3. Nosocomial – infection is one acquired by an individual in health
care facility such as hospital or long term care facility. Usually
present in the facility and transmitted by health care workers to
the patient. Example, staphylococcus, pseudomonas and
enterococci.
4. Opportunistic – Infections occur when body defenses are weak.
Example, Kaposi’s sarcoma (rare type of cancer) or Pneumocystis
carinii pneumonia in individuals with AIDS.

Normal body defense against microorganism

4. Viruses 1. Mucous membrane
 The smallest microorganisms, visible only using an electron 2. Cilia
microscope. 3. Coughing and sneezing
 They can only reproduce unless they are inside the host. 4. Hydrochloric acid
 They can spread to one human to another by blood and other body 5. Tears in the eye
secretions. 6. Fever
 They are more difficult to 7. Inflammation
kill because they are 8. Immune response
resistant to many
disinfectants and are not
affected by antibiotics.
 They can cause many
diseases such as common
colds, measles, mumps,
hepatitis, and AIDS and
other more.
 Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent viruses.

Characteristics of Pathogens
1. They like warm environment. Human body temperature is the ideal
breeding ground.
2. They like darkness. Many are killed by sunlight.
3. They like moisture. Ideal place for reproduction and growth.

Types of microorganism according to source of energy

1. Aerobic organisms – require oxygen to live
2. Anaerobic organisms – live and reproduce in the absence of
oxygen.

Classification of Infection and Diseases

1. Endogenous – infection or disease originates within the body.
Example, abnormalities, tumors, and infection caused by
microorganisms within the body.