Clinical Safety Veterinary Assisting: Fundamentals and Application Chapter 41

Fire and Safety Plans  All clinics must have a fire safety plan  Numbers for Local EMAs should be posted for all employees to see.  Plans for fire, severe weather, and other disasters must be carefully planned and posted.  A yearly safety meeting should be held to discuss plans with employees.

Professional Dress  All clothing should be well fitting, including scrub tops and pants  Shoes should be nonslip and fully enclose the foot  Exam gloves should be worn for patient and human safety  Long or fake nails should not be worn. (Nails can hold bacteria and increase the possibly for infection) Nails should be natural and not extend beyond the end of the finger.

Professional Dress  Loose, floppy, or large jewelry should not be worn.  Limit watches to waterproof items  Hair should be pulled back out of the face to allow easy visibility, and a clean working area.  Tattoos and facial/body piercings are not professional and should not be visible to clients,

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)  Wear exam gloves at all times when working with chemicals, animals, and hazardous materials  Wear goggles when working with chemical or a dermal tool.  Wear a face mask when doing dental work, working with high powered equipment, and when there is a risk of splashing,  Wear aprons when bathing animals, working in surgery, and isolation ward.  Wear ear plugs when working in nosey areas.

Hand Hygiene  Wash hands after removing gloves  Wash hands after handling each animal  Wash hands using warm water and antibacterial soap, cleansing each surface of the hand for 5 minutes

Biohazard and Sharps Disposal  Locate all biohazard containers  Place needles, blades, and any sharp materials that may have infectious waste in a sharps container.  Place all body fluids, including blood, urine, and feces, in medical waste bags.  Place all surgical drape material in medical waste bags  Dispose in proper place for incineration or biohazard pick up.

TYPES OF HAZARDS  Physical  Chemical  Biological  Zoonotic

Physical Hazards  Definition- safety concerns that can cause physical harm to a human or animals body.  Animal Bites  Back injuries  Falls on wet floors  Radiation exposure

Chemical Hazards  Defined- safety concerns that may cause injury to skin, lungs, eyes or other areas due to exposeure from chemical agents.  Chemotherapy Drug  Cleaning Agents  Insecticides  Anesthetic Gases

Biological Hazards  Defined- Safety concerns that pose a risk to humans and animals through contamination of living organisms through body tissues and fluids.  Urine  Feces  Live Vaccines  Blood  MEDICAL WASTE!

Zoonotic Hazards  Defined- Safety concerns that allow contagious organisms to spread to humans causing infections, viruses, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic transmissions.  Transmission from ANIMALS to HUMANS

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)  Product  Manufacturer Information  Hazard ingredients/Identity Information  Physical/Chemical Characteristics  Fires/Explosion Data  Radiology  Health Hazard Data  Safe Handling and Use  Control Measures