Use this SOP to prevent occupational exposure while collecting, transporting, processing, and cleaning blood and other body-fluid specimens.
š Resources Needed
Disposable examination gloves
Masks and protective eyewear
General-purpose utility gloves for cleaning and decontamination
Well-constructed specimen containers with secure lids
Laboratory forms and transport materials that can be kept free of contamination
Handwashing supplies and approved decontamination products
ā Before You Start
Treat blood and other body fluids from every patient as potentially infectious and use the required precautions every time.
Inspect your hands and exposed skin for cuts, abrasions, chapping, dermatitis, scratches, or other breaks in the skin.
Confirm that the correct specimen container, gloves, mask, protective eyewear, laboratory form, and cleaning supplies are available before starting.
If you have an exudative lesion or weeping dermatitis, stop and notify the Clinic Manager before performing direct patient care or handling patient-care equipment or devices used for invasive procedures.
š Tips & Tricks
Keep the outside of every specimen container and the accompanying laboratory form clean while collecting the specimen.
Change gloves between tasks and whenever they are contaminated, damaged, or no longer protective.
Utility gloves provide more tear and puncture resistance than examination gloves, but even heavy utility gloves cannot prevent a needlestick injury.
Use additional mask and eye protection whenever splashing or other contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth can reasonably be anticipated.
š Instructions
Step 1: Apply Standard Precautions
Consider blood and other body fluids from every patient potentially infectious for the purpose of exposure prevention.
Select personal protective equipment based on the task and the reasonably anticipated route of exposure.
Step 2: Collect And Transport Specimens
Place every blood or body-fluid specimen in a well-constructed container with a secure lid that prevents leakage during transport.
Collect and close the specimen carefully so blood or body fluid does not contaminate the outside of the container.
Keep the accompanying laboratory form free of blood and body-fluid contamination.
If the container leaks, will not close securely, or is contaminated on the outside, stop and follow the spill, decontamination, and replacement-container procedures before transport.
Step 3: Process Blood And Body-Fluid Specimens Safely
Everyone who processes blood or body-fluid specimens must wear gloves.
Wear a mask and protective eyewear when contact between blood or body fluid and the eyes, nose, or mouth is anticipated.
Change gloves after specimen processing and whenever they become contaminated, torn, or otherwise compromised.
Wash hands immediately after completing specimen processing and after removing gloves.
Step 4: Restrict Work For Exudative Lesions Or Weeping Dermatitis
An employee with exudative lesions or weeping dermatitis must not provide direct patient care.
The employee must not handle patient-care equipment or devices used to perform invasive procedures.
These restrictions remain in effect until the condition resolves and the employee is cleared to resume the affected duties under Besa Health procedures.
Step 5: Wear Gloves Whenever Hand Exposure Is Possible
Wear gloves when the healthcare worker has cuts, abraded skin, chapped hands, dermatitis, scratches, or other breaks in the skin.
Wear gloves when examining a patient's abraded or non-intact skin or when caring for a patient with active bleeding.
Wear gloves during every body-fluid cleanup and decontamination procedure.
Wear gloves during phlebotomy.
Also wear gloves whenever hand contact with blood, non-intact skin, mucous membranes, other potentially infectious materials, contaminated items, or contaminated surfaces is anticipated.
Take particular care during phlebotomy when the employee has cuts, scratches, or other breaks in the skin or when the patient is uncooperative.
Step 6: Use Utility Gloves For Cleaning And Decontamination
Use general-purpose utility gloves for cleaning and decontamination tasks, including decontaminating the treatment room between patients.
Utility gloves are more resistant to tears and punctures than examination gloves.
Discard utility gloves if they have holes or cracks or if they peel or fade.
Never rely on examination gloves or heavy utility gloves to prevent a needlestick injury.
Step 7: Remove Gloves Without Touching The Contaminated Exterior
With both gloves still on, grasp the outside of the first glove near the wrist and peel it away from the hand.
Hold the removed first glove in the palm of the still-gloved hand.
Slide the fingers of the ungloved hand under the inside of the remaining glove cuff without touching the outside surface.
Pull the second glove off inside out so it encloses the first glove, then discard the gloves in the appropriate container.
Wash hands immediately after glove removal.
š Troubleshooting
A Specimen Container Is Leaking Or Contaminated
Stop transport, isolate the specimen, put on the appropriate protective equipment, and follow the spill and decontamination procedure. Transfer the specimen only through the approved replacement-container process, and replace any contaminated laboratory form.
Required Protective Equipment Is Not Available
Do not begin or continue the task. Secure the specimen or work area and notify the Clinic Manager so the correct equipment can be obtained.
A Glove Tears Or Is Punctured
Stop the task safely, remove the damaged gloves without touching contaminated surfaces, wash hands, put on new gloves, and evaluate whether an occupational exposure occurred. Gloves do not prevent needlestick injuries.
An Employee Has Weeping Dermatitis Or An Exudative Lesion
Remove the employee from direct patient care and from handling invasive-procedure equipment or devices until the condition resolves. Notify the Clinic Manager and follow the applicable employee-health process.
ā Completion Check
Blood and body fluids from all patients are treated as potentially infectious.
Every specimen is placed in a well-constructed, securely closed container that prevents leakage during transport.
The outside of the specimen container and the accompanying laboratory form remain free of contamination.
Everyone processing specimens wears gloves and uses a mask and protective eyewear when mucous-membrane contact is anticipated.
Gloves are changed and hands are washed after specimen processing.
Employees with exudative lesions or weeping dermatitis do not provide direct patient care or handle equipment or devices used for invasive procedures until the condition resolves.
Gloves are used for damaged skin, non-intact skin or active bleeding, body-fluid cleanup, decontamination, phlebotomy, and anticipated contact with blood, mucous membranes, other potentially infectious materials, contaminated items, or surfaces.
Utility gloves are used for cleaning, discarded when damaged or deteriorated, and never treated as protection from needlesticks.
Gloves are removed without touching the contaminated exterior and hands are washed immediately afterward.
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