CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

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ESSENTIALS OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
been made in the past few decades to rid the world of certain epidemics, there
are no vaccines against certain organisms such as HIV or the TB bacterium.
Even when immunizations are available to prevent infection by certain
organisms, the medical employee must continue to practice self-protective measures.
While immunization is specific against specific infectious organisms, there
are numerous organisms other than the three major bloodborne and airborne
pathogens. The bacterial strain that causes tetanus has a long history of effective
immunization and immunization shortly after exposure can provide immunity
against this potentially fatal disease. This is one of only a few bacterial organisms
for which an immunization that lasts for a substantial period of time is available.
Generally, immunization against viruses is much more effective than that
for bacteria, often giving virtually lifetime immunity unless the strain mutates
sufficiently to become an organism no longer recognized by the antibodies previously
produced.
Minimizing Exposure to Infectious Organisms
To eliminate or at least minimize incidents where a medical worker is exposed to
infectious patients or materials that may be contaminated by infectious organisms,
certain precautions are provided. Training of medical workers and students
should be geared toward following procedures designed to protect the medial
laboratory worker as well as other health care providers. Exposure incidents
are usually the result of a failure to follow proper procedures while performing
medical procedures, exposure to a patient who is newly admitted and who may
have no symptoms, or exposure to materials contaminated while performing a
medical procedure.
Universal Precautions and Standard Precautions
Is there a difference between Universal Precautions and Standard Precautions?
Sometimes these terms are used synonymously but they are really focused on
protecting different groups. Standard Precautions were designed primarily to
protect the patient from becoming infected while in the medical facility. Universal
Precautions are aimed at protecting the health care worker who is handling
blood and bloody materials. Protective practices for each type of medical procedure
require precautions to protect oneself and were issued in 1996 by the CDC
(Figure 6-12).
Standard Precautions
These guidelines were recommended by the CDC to reduce the risk of the spread
of infection in the health care facility. These precautions include hand washing
and the use of gloves, masks, eye protection, and gowns, and they apply to
blood, all body fluids, secretions, excretions (except sweat), nonintact skin, and
mucous membranes of all patients. They are the primary strategy for successful
prevention of nosocomial infections. Nosocomial infections are those that the
patient did not contract outside the hospital but were acquired during a visit or
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