Prevention of blood borne infection

Staff procedure for: Prevention of blood borne infection

Facts

Some infections can be transmitted through significant exposure to others’ blood or body fluids. This exposure can occur by a variety of ways, for example:

  • if skin is pierced with a sharp object contaminated with another person’s blood or body fluid
  • via bites, and splashes of blood and body fluids to the eyes, nose, mouth or broken skin.

The three most important infections transmitted in this way are hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, all of which can cause severe or fatal illnesses.

Individuals may be unaware of their diagnosis or have no symptoms. It is, therefore, important that ALL blood and body fluids are treated as potentially infectious and that standard infection control precautions are followed when dealing with blood and body fluids in all circumstances.

Additional precautions are not usually necessary when dealing with children who are known to have such infections and confidentiality must be maintained at all times. This means that all staff may not be aware of children’s HIV status for example. Rainbow will provide information to staff on a need to know basis, and will abide by parental wishes.

There is no evidence that blood borne infections can be transmitted if blood or body fluids fall on intact skin, or if an infected person coughs or sneezes near others. Similarly, skin contact, shared use of facilities such as toilets, water fountains or telephones, sharing glasses, plates and cutlery, or swimming in a pool do not pose any risk of these infections.

Routine procedure

Always wear protective covering when dealing with blood and body fluids; including a disposal apron and gloves

  1. Cover all cuts and grazes with waterproof dressings
  2. Ensure that all clinical waste, including sanitary towels, is disposed of properly (using the yellow bag system)
  3. Ensure that razors, toothbrushes or other implements that could become contaminated with blood or body fluids are not shared.
  4. Ensure that syringes, lancets and needles are single use and are disposed of properly (see Section on Sharps Injuries). Never re-sheath or re-use needles, lancets or other sharps
  5. Include children with hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV infections in all regular activities. No precautions, other than standard infection control precautions, are necessary in relation to these children.
  6. Rainbow senior management team recommend that all staff ensure that they have hepatitis B vaccination and periodically check their immunity levels
  7. If there are situations where blood or other body fluids may be spilt, or where sharps are handled staff should ensure that they wear closed toe footwear to protect their feet

Dealing with Blood and Bodily Fluid spillages

It is important that spillages of blood, faeces, vomit or other body fluids are dealt with immediately, as they can pose a risk of transmission of infection and disease. Rainbow staff should following this procedure:

If a spillage occurs:

  1. Ensure children are supervised, by calling on other staff if necessary
  2. Ensure a member of staff can give their full attention to the spillage, and other children are not in the direct vicinity and not put at risk (cross-infection)
  3. Cordon off the area where the spillage has occurred
  4. Cover cuts and abrasions on any areas of the skin with a waterproof dressing
  5. Put on a disposable apron and gloves
  6. Carefully dispose of any broken glass or sharp instruments, using a disposable scoop (or cardboard), without touching them directly with hands.
  7. Discard into a sharps container
  8. Use disposable equipment when cleaning spillages and dispose of as clinical waste,
  9. Discard items that cannot be cleaned or decontaminated re-usable cloths and mops should not be used
  10. Place disposable paper towels on blood spillage to mop up excess and then dispose in a clinical waste bag
  11. Pour bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water dilution) on top of spillage area and leave for at least two minutes.
  12. Use paper towels to wipe up the bleach and spillage and then discard into clinical waste bag
  13. Using disposable paper towels wash the area with water and detergent and dry thoroughly. Discard paper towels into clinical waste bag
  14. Discard gloves and apron and other protective clothing used into a clinical waste bag
  15. Mops used to clean up body fluids should be rinsed in the cleaning sink (in cupboard in the baby room nappy room) with a disinfectant solution and dried
  16. Wash and dry hands thoroughly
  17. Complete an incident report form and file in the day file
  18. Inform the manager
  19. Expect to spend approximately 10 minutes dealing with the spillage

If the spill is on soft furnishings or carpets, bleach should not be used. Detergent and water should be used to clean the spill and dry as soon as possible.

The manager will need to consider whether a deep clean using steam is required following the incident. Where a steam clean is ordered, this should be recorded on the Additional Measures log.

If blood spillage has already dried: Apply a bleach solution to a wet paper towel & clean spillage area

 

Blood Spills on clothing:

  1. Wear gloves to handle soiled clothing
  1. Remove affected clothing and put in a plastic bag for parent/carer/ to wash at home
  1. When clothes are washed they should be placed in a cool wash, followed by the hottest wash cycle that the garments will stand (this advise should be given to parents/carers)
  1. Always use gloves to remove soiled clothing from bag
  1. Do not soak or manually rinse garments first
  1. Discard the bag in the yellow clinical waste bag

Body fluid spillages (including vomit)

  1. Wear disposable gloves and disposable apron, and facial protection if Required
  2. Remove any spills (e.g. faeces, vomit) immediately from the area, using paper towels. Using disposable cloths/paper towels, clean and disinfect the surrounding area using hot water and detergent, then dry.
  3. Disinfectant the area using a bleach solution as described in the section above
  4. Discard all waste (e.g. used cloths, paper towels, gloves and aprons) as clinical waste
  5. Wash and dry hands thoroughly
  6. Record on an incident form and report to the manager, using the same protocols as listed above

Do not Use reusable cloths or mops to clean up spillages or blood or body fluids