Sister

Any profession is associated with the risk of disease. The reasons may be different: faulty equipment, violation of safety standards, the development of hidden diseases, non-compliance with hygiene, etc. The probability of falling into the risk zone is quite high for nurses, since by the nature of their work they work directly with sick people, blood, acute items.

 The dangers of the nursing profession 

The risk of getting infected, constantly lies in wait for health workers at the workplace.
And it does not matter where they work: in a public or private clinic, in a hospital or at home. Occupational diseases include:

• - viral infections (ARVI, influenza);
• - infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, hepatitis, AIDS;
• - diseases of the respiratory system;
• - allergies;
• - diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• neuroses and psychological problems.

 Prevention of occupational infection 

Statistical studies have noted cases when medical workers, suspecting signs of illness, did not seek help in time, endangering the health of their colleagues and patients.
The reasons are banal: fear of dismissal, lack of time, ignorance of whom to contact, negligence. You can reduce the risk of infection for a nurse if several factors are observed:

• - do not violate safety regulations;
• - periodically undergo a medical examination;
• - at the first sign of discomfort
• - turn to specialists.

 Nurse safety.

The administration of the health care institution is obliged to monitor the implementation of safety precautions.
For these purposes, create jobs that meet sanitary standards, provide personal protective equipment, conduct explanatory work (seminars, trainings), arrange periodic knowledge testing (attestation) and selective control. The most dangerous are actions associated with a violation of the integrity of the skin and lesions of the mucous membranes.
Basic safety requirements:

• - observe personal hygiene;
• - do not neglect protective equipment (use gloves, masks, glasses, gowns and other devices), change to new ones as you use them;
• - Provide a first aid kit;
• - used syringes, test tubes should be placed in a container for further disposal;
• - do not disassemble syringes, do not separate needles from droppers;
• - do not start work even in protective equipment in the presence of open wounds and weeping skin dermatitis;
• - regularly disinfect the workplace and reusable work items.

 Emergency protective measures

With careful observance of safety precautions, there is a chance of cutting, pricking, and in contact with human biological secretions (urine, sweat, saliva, earwax, vomit) - the likelihood of infection. Therefore, healthcare professionals should be clear about their first self-care actions.

1. Damage to the skin of the hands. Without removing gloves, wash your hands with soap and water, get rid of gloves, squeeze blood out of the wound, treat with any antiseptic.
2. Damage to the mucous membrane of the eye. Rinse with water or a special solution several times.
3. Damage to the nasopharynx. Spit, rinse your mouth and nose several times.
4. If the infection gets on shoes, furniture, floor, equipment, immediately decontaminate by repeatedly wiping the surface with an antiseptic.

By observing safety precautions and personal hygiene, using protective equipment, taking care of their health, the nurse is able to reduce the risk of occupational disease herself.

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