BLOOD BORNE PATHOGENS: SAFETY IN SCHOOL

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• The following self-paced program, entitled
  Universal Precautions and Pathogen Awareness for
  Schools, has been developed as an educational
  unit for Rose Tree Media School District
  Employees.
• To advance each slide, left click your mouse. To
  end the program, right click on your mouse and
  select end show from the menu.
• The last slide in the unit is a signature page
  for you to print, sign, and give to your
  supervisor or school nurse to indicate that you
  have completed the program.

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UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS and PATHOGEN AWARENESS FOR
SCHOOLS

• A Self Directed Learning Unit for RTMSD Employees

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• Exposure to disease causing viruses and bacteria
  can occur anywhere--even in schools

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• Disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and other
  microorganisms are called pathogens.

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• Although the risk of exposure to pathogens for a
  school employee is low, it is not zero.

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• For this reason, it is important to know
  about pathogens and how to protect yourself from
  diseases they can cause.

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• Where or how might a school employee be exposed
  to contagious pathogens?

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Pathogens (germs) can be found on environmental
surfaces, in blood, and in other body fluids.
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Blood borne pathogens are high profile
pathogens because of the serious nature of the
diseases they cause, but pathogens also exist in
other body fluids.
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Body fluids with which a school employee might
come in contact include blood, vomitus, urine,
feces, saliva, and respiratory secretions.
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• The following slides identify some of the
  pathogens that may be found in various body
  fluids.

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Urine

• cytomegalovirus

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Feces

• Salmonella bacteria
• Shigella bacteria
• Rotavirus
• Hepatitis A virus

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Respiratory Secretions

• Mononucleosis virus
• Rhinovirus (common cold virus)
• Influenza virus

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Vomitus

• Gastrointestinal viruses such as
• Norwalk Virus
• Rotavirus

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Blood

• Hepatitis B virus
• Hepatitis C virus
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• Cytomegalovirus

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• Three pathogens which may be transmitted in
  blood (blood borne pathogens) warrant further
  attention because of the serious nature of the
  diseases they cause. These three viruses are
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• HIV

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• Hepatitis B

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Hepatitis B

• Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver.

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Hepatitis B

• An individual can be exposed to Hepatitis B
  virus by coming in direct contact with
  contaminated blood or with blood-contaminated
  environmental surfaces.

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Hepatitis B

• Hepatitis B virus enters the body through a
  mucus membrane or a break in the skin.

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Hepatitis B

• When Hepatitis B virus enters the body, it
  travels to the liver and can cause life-long
  infection, cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer,
  liver failure, and even death.

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Hepatitis B

• Hepatitis B virus can live outside the body for
  up to one week.

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Hepatitis B

• It is estimated that 1/3 of the worlds
  population including 5 of the US population are
  infected with Hepatitis B virus.

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Hepatitis B

• A vaccine called the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
  vaccine, which is a series of 3 immunizations,
  protects against the Hep B virus.

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Hepatitis B

• HBV vaccine is required for school entry for
  students in Pennsylvania. Check your immunization
  record or with your doctor to see if you have
  received this vaccine.

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• Hepatitis B
• The vaccine is one important way to protect
  yourself against Hepatitis B.

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• Human Immunodeficiency Virus
• (HIV)

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HIV

• Although HIV has gotten a lot of media
  attention, it is not as common a blood borne
  pathogen as Hepatitis B (HBV).

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HIV

• It is estimated that there are 40 million
  people living with HIV or AIDs worldwide, with
  about 1 million in the US.

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HIV

• The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) does not
  live long outside the body, and it is not an easy
  virus to pass from one person to another,
  however, the consequences of contracting HIV are
  so serious, that one must always protect oneself
  against possibly coming in contact with the virus.

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HIV

• HIV is transmitted through contaminated blood,
  semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk.

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HIV

• Although the virus can be found in sweat,
  tears, vomit, saliva, feces, and urine, it has
  never been reported that it was ever transmitted
  in these fluids.

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HIV

• HIV invades and destroys the immune system and
  weakens cells that normally fight off infection,
  leaving the body unable to fight other diseases.

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HIV

• People who become infected with HIV may have no
  symptoms for up to 10 years, but they can still
  transmit the infection to others. Meanwhile,
  their immune system gradually weakens until they
  are diagnosed with AIDS.
• http//www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/00
  0602.htmSymptoms

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HIV

• HIV is a chronic medical condition that can be
  treated, but not cured. There are effective means
  of preventing complications and delaying, but not
  preventing, progression to AIDS. At the present
  time, not all persons infected with HIV have
  progressed to AIDS, but time has shown that the
  vast majority do.
• http//www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/00
  0602.htmSymptoms

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• Hepatitis C

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Hepatitis C

• Hepatitis C is less easily transmitted than
  Hepatitis B, but it is a more serious illness.

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Hepatitis C

• Hepatitis C can cause liver damage, cirrhosis,
  and cancer.

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Hepatitis C

• Hepatitis C virus can live up to a week outside
  the body.

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Hepatitis C

• It is estimated that about 4 million people in
  the US have been infected with Hepatitis C.

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• What can school employees do to protect
  themselves against these and other potentially
  dangerous pathogens?

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• School employees should follow these two
  important guidelines
• 1) Practice good hand washing
• 2) Use universal precautions

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Guideline One

• Practice Good Hand Washing

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Why is hand washing so important?

• Hand washing, when done correctly, is the
  single most effective way to prevent the spread
  of communicable diseases.

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steps to good hand washing

• Wet hands with warm running water.
• Add soap.
• Rub hands together away from the running water in
  order to form a lather.
• Rub hands for at least 15 seconds.
• Wash the front, back, fingers, and under nails.
• Hold hands downward while rinsing under warm
  water so that the water does not run down arms.
• Dry thoroughly with paper towel.
• Turn off water with a towel and dispose of it
  properly.

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• Remember to rub your hands for at least 15
  seconds and form a lather with the soap.
• (Time yourself by singing Row, Row, Row Your
  Boat, or Happy Birthday.)

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Soap lather suspends dirt and germs so they can
be easily washed away.

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• If using alcohol based hand gel, use ½ to 1
  teaspoon in the palm of your hand.
• Rub hands, covering all surfaces with sanitizer
  and let dry.

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Alcohol based sanitizers should contain at
least 60 alcohol.

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Guideline TwoUse Universal Precautions
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• Universal precautions means treating ALL body
  fluids as if they are contaminated with pathogens.

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This means wearing gloves when coming in
contact with any body fluid.

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• Skin is the first line of defense against
  pathogens but germs can enter through small cuts
  or tiny breaks in the skin.

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• Gloves act as a second line of defensea second
  barrierto keep pathogens from entering the body.

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• Your school nurse or supervisor can provide you
  with disposable gloves.

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• Any open cuts or sores should be covered with a
  band-aid or dressing before putting on gloves.

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• Never pick up sharp objects or broken glass
  with a gloved or bare hand.

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• Gloves are designed for single use only and
  should be replaced as soon as possible if there
  is a tear or defect.

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• It is important to remove gloves without
  touching the outside surface with your bare hands
  since the outside may be contaminated with
  pathogens.

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To remove gloves, begin by grasping the cuff on
the outside surface with your other gloved hand.
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Pull the glove toward fingers and off into the
other gloved hand.
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Hold the glove you removed in the palm of your
gloved hand.
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Remove the second glove by sliding your fingers
underneath the cuff to avoid touching the outside
surface with your bare hand.
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Pull it off toward your fingers, removing the
glove completely.
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With contaminated surfaces safely facing inward,
gloves are ready for disposal in the trash.
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• Always wash hands after removing gloves because
  gloves may contain flaws or defects that are not
  noticeable or you may have accidentally touched a
  contaminated part of the glove.

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• Be smart! Take the time to protect yourself
  with gloves before assisting a student or
  colleague who needs first aid.

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• Our school buses are supplied with spill
  kits. Bus drivers are trained to use the
  supplied products including gloves, absorbent
  agent, and cleaning tool, if there is a incident
  necessitating body fluid clean-up on the bus.

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• Do not attempt to clean up body fluids such as
  vomit or blood unless you have had special
  training.
• Instead, call a custodian.

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Our custodians have been trained in the clean-up
of body fluids and hazardous wastes and have
equipment and products appropriate for the job.

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What should you do if you come in contact with
body fluids?

• Wash hands immediately with warm water and soap
  for at least 15 seconds.
• Follow district guidelines to report the exposure
  incident to your supervisor.

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Review of Important Points

• You can come in contact with pathogens
  anywhereeven in schools.
• Protect yourself against pathogens by practicing
  good hand washing and universal precautions.
• Universal precautions means treating all body
  fluids as if they were contaminated and wearing
  gloves if there is a chance of contact with body
  fluids or contaminated surfaces.
• Universal precautions are an important way to
  protect yourself and others.

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A safe school is a school where good hand washing
is practiced and universal precautions are
followed.

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• I have completed the self-paced learning unit
  entitled Universal Precautions and Pathogen
  Awareness for Schools.
• I understand that if I have questions, I will
  contact my school nurse or supervisor.
• Name___________________ Date______
• Job Title____________ Building_________