Anaesthetists Handbook - MEDICAL EDUCATION at University ...

Miscellaneous issuestake part in the ‘sign in, time out and sign out’ steps. You must set aprofessional leadership example on this.Sedation requests for diagnostic imaging[Appraised by Dr Edwin Borman, January 2010]You may receive occasional requests to sedate patients fordiagnostic CT or MRI scans. We do not offer such a service as amatter of routine.Refer the person making such a request to the Anaesthesia Office sothat the case can be handled on a planned basis, usually by aconsultant.For ICU patients see page 49; for major head injury see page 208.Sharps injury (exposure to potential contamination)[Appraised by Dr Edwin Borman, January 2010]See page 205 for information about safety cannulas.There is a UHCW policy on this matter. Essential points are that youshould take immediate action where you may have beencontaminated: wash the injury with soap under running water,encourage bleeding, cover the wound with a waterproof dressing andreport it without delay.Every patient is regarded as contaminated with blood-borne viruses.A cross-contamination injury will be treated as a medical emergency.You must contact the senior nurse or manager for the unitimmediately if you sustain a contamination injury.During normal working hours, injuries should be reported to the nursein charge of the relevant area and the Occupational Healthdepartment. Out of normal working hours, injuries should be reportedto the nurse in charge of the relevant area, and you should alsoreport injury to the Emergency Department or the EmergencyAssessment Unit. You will be asked to make a decision whether orAnaesthetists Handbook January 2010 235