Universal Precaution

Universal precaution

           Universal precautions refers to the practice, in medicine, of avoiding contact with patients' body fluids, by means of the wearing of nonporous articles such as barrier gowns, medical gloves, eyewear (goggles or glasses), and face shields.

Universal precautions are typically practiced in any environment where workers are exposed to body fluids, such as; Blood, Semen, Vaginal secretions, Synovial fluid, Amniotic fluid, Cerebrospinal fluid, Pleural fluid, Peritoneal fluid, Pericardial fluid etc.

     Concerns about transmission of AIDS, hepatitis B, and other infectious disease led to the introduction of Universal Blood and Body Fluid Precautions or simply Universal precautions. It is now known that consistent use and adherence to these guidelines greatly minimizes the risk of infectious disease transmission. At the recommendation of the CDC, health care providers were to consider every patient potentially infectious for AIDS, hepatitis B, and other pathogens and to routinely and consistently use the techniques of universal precautions as a means of infection control.

Following is a summary of the CDC's universal precautions and guidelines for control of AIDS, hepatitis B, and other infectious diseases:

a) Consider all (patients') blood and body fluids to be contaminated.

b) Always wash hands before and after (patient) contact.

c) Always wash hands if contaminated with blood or body fluids.

d) Wear gloves when handling or touching blood, body fluids, body tissue, mucous membranes, non intact skin, or contaminated equipment and supplies.

e) Wear gloves when performing venepuncture and other blood access treatments or procedures.

f) Change gloves after each patient contact.

g) Wash hands after glove removal as gloves do not replace hand wash technique.

h) Wear gloves, gown, mask, goggles/face shield if splashing of blood or body fluids can occur or if exposure to droplets of blood or body fluids is a possibility. Examples of this are wound care and endoscopy.

i) Use extreme caution when handling needles, scalpels, and other sharp instruments (sharps) during procedures and when handling them after procedures are completed. Dispose of sharps in an approved puncture-proof container that should be located as close as practical to the work area.

j) Use a mouthpiece if performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation although saliva has not been implicated in transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS.

k) Clean blood and body fluid spills with agency disinfectant or a 10 percent solution of sodium hypochlorite (household bleach).

l) Report needlesticks, splashes, and contamination by wounds or body fluids. Follow up with employee health services, physician, and other appropriate personnel.

m) Health care workers with open lesions (injury or wound) or dermatitis (skin rash) should avoid direct contact with patients and their supplies and equipment until healed.

 
n) Laboratory specimens and their containers are modes of disease transmission and gloves should be worn during handling.

o) Pregnant health care providers should be especially careful to adhere to the guidelines so as to protect themselves and the unborn child.

Lab rules and regulations

 A student of Microbiology is expected to acquire certain essential skills in the practical exercises which will help him/her to understand the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. While so doing he/she will be exposed to potentially infectious microorganisms and clinical material. It is of utmost importance therefore to adhere to strict conduct while in the practical hall in order to avoid such accidental exposures.

1.        All the students should keep the working table clean after the practical experiment.

2.       Pipetting by mouth of concentrated acid, alkalies and other biological fluid strictly prohibited.

3.       PLEASE SEE THAT WATER TAPS AND BURNERS ARE CLOSED WHILE PRACTICAL HALL is left.

                                                                 Must

1.      Wear a protective laboratory coat while in the practical hall.

2.      Maintain a labex record and get it corrected periodically.

3.      Handle all slides and clinical material with care.

4.      Cap all containers and reagent bottles after use.

5.      Students should handle the chemicals, glass wares and other laboratory equipments carefully. Inform laboratory Incharge immediately in case of accidental breakages and spillage. Breakage charges will be collected from the concerned students

6.      Girls should tie long hair into a knot, or tuck it into the laboratory coat when in class.

7.      Discard all used slides and clinical material into the discarding jar provided on each table.

8.      Wash hands with detergent/ soap before leaving the hall.

Must not

1.      Eat or drink in the practical hall.

2.      Put pencils, pens, fingers or any other objects into the mouth.

3.      Open culture plates, tubes or specimen jars.

4.      Personal belonging should not be kept on the work bench