How to prevent infectious diseases of healthcare workers and what to do in case of infection
Infecton deseases
Infectious diseases of healthcare workers can occur when healthcare professionals provide medical care to an infected patient. How to prevent infection? What to do if a healthcare worker becomes infected?
How to treat the affected area
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Content:
Prevention of infectious diseases among healthcare workers
Contact with infected material: actions of medical staff
Referral to the medical and social expert commission
Medical workers are constantly at risk of contracting infectious diseases that are dangerous for them and those around them. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the anti-infective resistance of medical personnel is reduced. And the longer the work experience of the employee, the more this manifests itself.
Compared to other professional groups, medical workers get sick for longer and more severely. This is associated with the polymorbidity of the pathology and the lower effectiveness of pharmacotherapy.
Thee most dangerous infectious diseases are tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and HIV. Infectious diseases of healthcare workers can make them professionally unfit, and eventually even lead to death.
What can be done to minimize the risk of contracting infectious diseases?
Reminders
The first step is to help in case of contact with blood or other material, potentially infecting HBV
Disinfection as a way to prevent hepatitis B
16 rules for HBV prevention in health care
How to prevent medical infectious diseases
A health worker can become infected with infectious diseases from an infected patient, through the blood and other physiological fluids of patients, through blood products and instruments that have been in contact with an infected patient.
NB! The probability of transmitting the hepatitis B virus during injections with contaminated needles reaches 30%, HIV infection – 0.5%. The connection of these diseases with the professional activity of the victim is investigated in specialized departments of hospitals after consultation with an occupational health doctor and an epidemiologist.
Make sure that the staff of the institution follow the basic rules :
used personal protective equipment during medical procedures associated with contact with the patient’s blood or other biological fluids
complied with safety rules when using, collecting, disinfecting , pre-sterilizing cleaning or removing sharp and cutting medical instruments from the department
followed the rules and techniques of washing hands and treating them with antiseptics, changed gloves after contact with each patient
The best way to protect yourself from infection is to follow hygiene and epidemic control measures, as well as workplace safety rules. Health workers should be responsible for the performance of their work and adhere to such non-specific prevention measures , such as:
thoroughly sterilize and disinfect surfaces and materials
collect additional anamnesis from patients
control the use of disposable instruments and accessories during medical manipulations and injections
When you hire a healthcare worker, inform him about the risk factors during the performance of professional duties and oblige him to follow the rules of prevention. In the future, all health workers must undergo :
at least once every six months – briefing on the prevention of the development of occupational diseases and labor safety
monthly — training according to the program developed in the institution
To prevent the development of pathological processes, conduct immunizations, post-exposure prophylaxis, as well as preliminary and treatment.
Employee examination
The next step for an emergency worker is to be examined to determine their background status.
General and special examination methods depend on the disease that is likely to occur.
Post-exposure prophylaxis
If an employee applied for probable infection within 72 hours after contact, he is mainly prescribed medical post-exposure prophylaxis – preventive treatment.
The duration of the drugs and the treatment regimen depend on the type of infectious agent and the risk of infection.
In some cases, preventive treatment is not prescribed, but only observation is carried out.
In particular, in cases where the period between contact and treatment exceeds 72 hours.
Control examinations
In the casye of observation only and against the background of medical post-exposure prophylaxis and after its completion, the medical worker undergoes control examinations. Their number, type and frequency depends on the condition of the employee and the type of possible disease.
The observation of a worker who had a high risk of infection lasts from 6 to 12 months .
The proposed steps are only a general algorithm of action. For some diseases, a procedure is legislated that includes clear instructions for action and the necessary documentation.
The procedure for conducting emergency post-exposure prophylaxis of HIV infection among workers in the performance of professional duties was approved by order of the Ministry of Health dated 05.11.2013 No. 955.
Thus, rely not only on general approaches to post-exposure prophylaxis, but also on a regulatory framework that clearly regulates individual cases.
Direction to MSEK
It happens that a medical worker adhered to all the requirements of post-exposure prophylaxis, but the disease nevertheless developed. In this case, he himself becomes a source of infection , and therefore potentially dangerous for the patient.
NB! If a medical worker becomes infected from a patient during the performance of his professional duties, then the patient does not bear any responsibility. If an infected healthcare worker infects a patient, he bears full legal responsibility.
If a dangerous infectious disease has developed in a health worker, he is sent to a medical and social expert commission (MSEC).
The procedure and Criteria for establishing by medical and social expert commissions the degree of permanent loss of professional ability to work as a percentage of employees who suffered damage to health associated with the performance of work duties were approved by order of the Ministry of Health dated 05.06.2012 No. 420.
MSEC can establish a sick worker as a permanent (permanent) disability – disability.
What documents and information to submit to MSEC
Summary. The head is responsible for the availability of conditions and implementation of measures to protect the health of medical personnel. Therefore, make sure that healthcare workers perceive all patients as a potential source of infection and follow safety requirements when contacting them. Neglecting this rule is the main mistake that can lead to infection.
Lekar having detected tuberculosis in a patient: what to work, where to go
Svitlana Doan Professor of the Department of Public Health, Vice-Rector for Post-Graduate Studies, PVNZ “Kyiv Medical University”
At the medical deposit, a person turned out to be diagnosed with tuberculosis. X-ray confirmed the pain. Now the doctor can tell you about the current situation of the head sanitary doctor. Proceed in the Law of Ukraine “On protidium infection with tuberculosis”. Like a buti, like a head sanitary doctor, no more than five years, but there is not a word about the form of reconciliation in the Law.
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This post was last modified on December 19, 2022 6:27 pm