Infection control is the number one obligation for any health care worker, in any field, at any time. All persons that enter a hospital should walk in with confidence knowing they will be treated without any risk of acquiring a nosocomial infection during their visit. The only way to accurately ensure that this will happen is if all medical personnel follow through with proper usage of their personal protective equipment, commonly known as PPE’s. PPE’s are a part of Standard Precautions which are components of the guidelines created to guard patients, as well as, health care workers against job-related exposure and nosocomial infections. They supply a bodily barrier between the user and the infectious agent 1.The correct technique for applying
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Airborne transmission is caused by microbes that are multiplied throughout the air on evaporated droplets or on dust particles in the air. These particles can remain floating in the air for quite a few hours and may be inhaled by anyone that comes in the room or is around that air space. Several diseases can be spread through airborne transmission, for example sudden acute respiratory syndrome, tuberculosis, smallpox, rubeola, and even varicella (“chicken pox”)3. Droplet transmission happens when contaminated pathogenic microorganisms are “placed” in the air by a person that is infected by ways such as coughing, sneezing, talking, or any other form of droplets from eyes, nose, mouth or ears. Examples of types of droplet transmitted diseases are influenza, rubella, mumps, whooping cough, scarlet fever and most cases of pneumonia3. The third way to transmit an infectious disease is by contact. This is the most commonly known transmission; however most do not know that there are two types: direct and indirect. Direct contact only occurs when an uninfected person actually touches or has direct contact with an infected person’s body part or surface2. Indirect contact is when an uninfected person touches an object that has become contaminated with the …show more content…
Studies show these types of infections are happening way more than they should. Developed countries are showing statistics of one out of every ten patients are at risk of obtaining a healthcare-associated disease and this could possibly be 20 times greater in developing countries4. This posses a question to many health care workers; how can we help stop the spread of infectious disease, especially in the hospital setting? Besides hand washing, which is considered to be the best way to prevent the spread of disease5, the next best way is to properly and accurately use PPE’s6. There are several different PPE’s for instance gloves, gowns, aprons, masks, goggles, visors, and caps 6, 2. Each one of these holds a specific purpose and protects us from different things. When a patient has been diagnosed with a disease or infection, there are a specific set of PPE’s that are to be used every time a health care worker comes into contact with them. For example, if a patient has a droplet transmitted infection (Typhoid, Influenza, Ebola, or Hepatitis A) the required PPE’s are a fluid shield mask with visor, a gown, and a mask 4, 3. This protects the health care worker from contracting the disease and contaminating another patient. Proper usage of PPE’s will also protect the patient from contracting a disease that a healthcare worker picked up from another nearby patient. For
Airborne transmission is caused by microbes that are multiplied throughout the air on evaporated droplets or on dust particles in the air. These particles can remain floating in the air for quite a few hours and may be inhaled by anyone that comes in the room or is around that air space. Several diseases can be spread through airborne transmission, for example sudden acute respiratory syndrome, tuberculosis, smallpox, rubeola, and even varicella (“chicken pox”)3. Droplet transmission happens when contaminated pathogenic microorganisms are “placed” in the air by a person that is infected by ways such as coughing, sneezing, talking, or any other form of droplets from eyes, nose, mouth or ears. Examples of types of droplet transmitted diseases are influenza, rubella, mumps, whooping cough, scarlet fever and most cases of pneumonia3. The third way to transmit an infectious disease is by contact. This is the most commonly known transmission; however most do not know that there are two types: direct and indirect. Direct contact only occurs when an uninfected person actually touches or has direct contact with an infected person’s body part or surface2. Indirect contact is when an uninfected person touches an object that has become contaminated with the …show more content…
Studies show these types of infections are happening way more than they should. Developed countries are showing statistics of one out of every ten patients are at risk of obtaining a healthcare-associated disease and this could possibly be 20 times greater in developing countries4. This posses a question to many health care workers; how can we help stop the spread of infectious disease, especially in the hospital setting? Besides hand washing, which is considered to be the best way to prevent the spread of disease5, the next best way is to properly and accurately use PPE’s6. There are several different PPE’s for instance gloves, gowns, aprons, masks, goggles, visors, and caps 6, 2. Each one of these holds a specific purpose and protects us from different things. When a patient has been diagnosed with a disease or infection, there are a specific set of PPE’s that are to be used every time a health care worker comes into contact with them. For example, if a patient has a droplet transmitted infection (Typhoid, Influenza, Ebola, or Hepatitis A) the required PPE’s are a fluid shield mask with visor, a gown, and a mask 4, 3. This protects the health care worker from contracting the disease and contaminating another patient. Proper usage of PPE’s will also protect the patient from contracting a disease that a healthcare worker picked up from another nearby patient. For