CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

CHAPTER 6: INTRODUCTION TO INFECTION CONTROL 125
to enable health care employees, students, or
instructors to protect themselves from exposure
to contagious diseases or toxic materials . Training
will be provided in classroom activities and
during orientation to clinical facilities for both
employees and students. The costs incurred for
the required training and the necessary PPE to
perform tasks in the safest manner possible are
the responsibility of the medical facility. Department
supervisors of the various facility areas are
responsible for maintaining sufficient supplies of
each protective item needed. However, individual
workers are also required to inform supervisors
of shortages of items and to maintain the
equipment and supplies assigned to them.
While laboratory workers other than phlebotomists
seldom come in direct contact with
patients, collection of blood or other body fluids
may be required of the technician or technologist
under some circumstances. Isolation
rooms are provided for patients with extremely
contagious diseases as well as those in reverse
isolation, used where the patient’s immunity is
low. It is necessary to fully protect oneself or the
patients in these circumstances. When entering
FIGURE 6-5 Laboratory employee wearing gown, gloves, and
mask on entering a patient’s room where transmission-based
precautions are in effect.
Source: Delmar/Cengage Learning.
the room of a patient in an isolation rooms (Figure 6-5), PPE is donned on entering
the room and discarded as the worker leaves the room.
Gowns and Other Overgarments as Barriers against Contamination
Gowns are used to protect caregivers from becoming infected while they provide
prolonged procedures for the patient. Gowns may be sterile or nonsterile, as
determined by the procedure being performed. Normally, sterile gowns are worn
to protect the patient from contamination when an invasive procedure is being
performed. Moisture-resistant gowns may be used if there is a danger of splatter
of infectious materials from the patient. These gowns must be removed before
leaving the patient’s room when they have been used for performing procedures
involving body fluids. Gowns that have been used in the performance of medical
procedures are considered contaminated materials and should not be worn in
general areas of the health care facility.
All overgarments such as protective gowns and overshoes are to be removed
before leaving the facility and are not to be worn in public areas. Gloves, masks,
and gowns are worn at any time when there is a possible risk of being contaminated
with blood or body fluids or with respiratory secretions from a patient
suffering from TB. Goggles and face shields may be necessary when performing
certain procedures. This information will be provided to the student by the section
supervisor or the preceptor training the medical laboratory worker. Certain
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