Hygiene, Safety and Vaccinations EMS Provider Hygiene, Safety and Vaccinations

Vaccinations and Immunizations for EMS Providers Non-immunized healthcare workers that are exposed are at risk This could mean time off work and restrictions Vaccines are the key to not getting sick

Is it the law? The Society of Healthcare Epidemiologists of American, The Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Prevention and The American Academy of Pediatrics are all in favor of mandatory vaccinations for healthcare workers As of right now it is different by state Should an exposure occur documented evidence of immunization must be readily available

Exposure If EMS crews are exposed to a suspected infected patient, hospitals must notify the agency of the potential exposure Any employee can opt out of a vaccine for medical reasons but must have a declination form on file

Measles, Mumps, Rubella Receiving an MMR vaccine may not ensure immunization Those born between 1963 and 1967 were given a killed virus and need to be revaccinated Those born after 1967 received a mixture of three live attenuated viruses and are considered appropriately immunized Born before 1957 most likely acquired immunity by contracting the disease

Pertussis, TDaP and Chickenpox In 2011 there were 10,000 confirmed cases of pertussis in the US The CDC requires all healthcare workers to receive a one-time booster of TDaP In 2006 the CDC required all healthcare agencies to establish screening processes for chickenpox with proof of immunization. If an employee indicates they have had the chickenpox a titer is required to provide proof of immunization Those not immunized must receive the vaccine

Flu Everyone should be encouraged to get the vaccine The CDC mandates employers to pay for the vaccine Anyone choosing not to receive the vaccine must have a declination on file, however, the employer can override and make this mandatory

TB Testing New employees must be tested for TB Annual testing is no longer a CDC requirement

Hand Hygiene in EMS Hand washing is the first step in disease prevention The basics: Use soap and water (water alone does not get rid of germs) Rub hands together for 20 seconds Rinse for 10 seconds Dry with a towel

Did you know? 72=the number of hours cold and flu germs can survive on common surfaces 300=the number of surfaces a child can touch and retouch in 30 minutes 10,000=the number of bacteria in a sneeze 189 million = the number of school days every year lost to the common cold

EMS Safety Common Themes of Risks Lack of teamwork Distracted or inattentive Lack of training or knowledge Lack of standardization Complacency Fatigue or tiredness Negative culture of safety Lack of communications Protocol deviations Poor system design or process

For a more intense review of EMS Safety Techniques and Applications Go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency United States Fire Administration https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-144.pdf

For more information: http://www.jems.com/articles/2011/10/vaccinations-immunizations-ems- providers.html https://www.ems1.com/ems-products/education/articles/600611-EMS-EXPO-Hand- washing-is-first-step-in-disease-prevention/ http://www.consumered.org/stopgerms?gclid=CjwKEAjw9MrIBRCr2LPek5- h8U0SJAD3jfhtT6EPc8x2baBQcbVJDcZt9Cbquvl-i9y9du008Dxj3BoCbHXw_wcB http://media.cygnus.com/files/base/EMSR/document/2016/01/EMSFORWARD_PS-10.pdf https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-144.pdf