Every Phlebotomist Should Exercise Certain Consistent Precautions On A Routine Basis
As per the guidelines from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) several disease-specific precautionary policies for patients known to be or suspected of being infected with certain pathogens are recommended to be followed by phlebotomists. Universal standard precautions assume that all specimens are potentially infectious and should be handled accordingly.
Every direct contact with body fluid is infectious is the assumption in the Standard precautions. To prevent cross-transmission and exposure of the skin and mucous membranes to infectious microbes, avoid direct contact with patient specimens, and when contact is anticipated appropriate barrier precautions should be used ” this is the essential element of standard precautions.
Every phlebotomist should exercise certain consistent precautions on a routine basis. These standard precautions recognize the infectious potential of any patient specimen and prevent cross-transmission of infectious disease to patients and the protect laboratory personnel from infected patients.
Potential exposure to HBV is prevented by recommended use of a licensed inactivated vaccine (HB). As a precautionary step for persons who are at a greater risk for Hepatitis B infection i.e. clinical laboratory workers, phlebotomists, and pathologists, use of this vaccine is recommended by CDCs advisory committee on immunization practices.
Phlebotomists working with blood specimens should follow safe work practices to eliminate the risk of transmitting infectious pathogens like:
– To disrupt transmission of infectious pathogens frequent hand washing according to the procedure – Eating, drinking, smoking should be prohibited in lab area. – Gloves, gowns, lab coats, masks, eye protectors, etc. Personal Protective Equipment used as required – Clean up any infectious fluids/blood spills immediately and minimize aerosolization – Waste disposal measures as recommended by OSHA and NCCLS are followed. Puncture”resistant sharps containers are used to dispose disposable syringes and needles, scalpel blades, and other sharp items. – Needles should not be recapped by hand, purposely bent or broken by hand, removed from disposable syringes, or otherwise manipulated by hand to prevent needle stick injuries. – Prophylactic measures for pre-exposure and post-exposure for handling potential occupational transmission of certain pathogens should be known by phlebotomist.
The knowledge of general safety regulations governing the clinical laboratory, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) mandated plans for chemical hygiene and for occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens, the importance of safety manual, and general emergency procedures is mandatory for a professional phlebotomist.
The disposal of sharps has always been a hazardous procedure for all health care staff. It is important to be aware of the risks involved in venipuncture. It is recommended that all health care professionals who carry out the procedure should be properly trained and makes use of a closed system-letting device, e.g. Vacutainers.
Case of a needle stick injury should be handled by following:
– Encourage bleeding from the affected site – Wash the injured area or irrigate with water or normal saline as appropriate – Cover with a suitable dressing – Record the patients name and ID – Complete an accident form – Inform immediate manager – Go to Occupational Health, GP or Accident and Emergency Department as appropriate
All the necessary techniques and procedures needed to be a competent and skilled phlebotomist 00004000 are taught by accredited phlebotomist technician programs. Phlebotomy programs cover the subjects like: Anatomy and physiology, Blood and cell composition, Blood sampling procedures, and laboratory safety, and CPR procedures. Professional behavior, Quality control, Legal issues, Computer training are other courses which may be included in phlebotomy training program. Depending on the regulations and training for work settings each phlebotomy training school offers something different.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
QUESTION:
I was told i have a 3cm uterine fibroids, is it big enough to removed? should i request the it to be removed?
I was told that i had a 3cm uterine fibroid. Is it big enough to be removed?I want to know because the dr. says that its nothing to worry about, but i can’t help being concerned about my infertility issues. The dr. also says that the fibroids is also causing severe pain during sexual intercourse. So i’m concerned about whether or not I should remove it.
-
ANSWER:
The fibroids can cause infertility. You should speak with your physician about the pros and cons of having them removed.
-
-
QUESTION:
Please help me to inform my sister. She has fibroids that must be removed. Some people are telling her to have
a full hysterectomy, some say only the fibroids should be removed. She is confused and needs info on everything. Please give us any info that you may have. (UFE-uterine fibroid emmbilation)-
ANSWER:
It depends on the extent of the fibroids.
First and foremost, they must be removed to prevent further damage to other organs.
When my daughter was 21 she started suffering from extreme pain after she ate. After many tests they couldn’t find anything wrong with her. Pain getting worse, she lost so much weight and was so sickly all the time. Finally sent her for an mri.
Ok long story short, the main problem was fibroids, wrapping around a fallopian tube, causing it to tear, causing an open incesion, causing an infection, causing scar tissue, the scar tissue and the fibroid grew (quickly) wrapping themselves around her appendix.
When surgery was finally scheduled we actually had to have 3 different doctors lined up each doing there part in repairing all the damage that had been done. They weren’t sure how much they were going to be able to save.
Happy ending, no hysterectomy, she was able to keep both fallopian tubes and ovaries, she is minus an appendix, but very lucky.
Point of it all, take care of it immediately, don’t be afraid to get a second opinion, and even the doctors might not know how far they have to go untill they get in there.
Good luck, I would like to know how she makes out.
-
-
QUESTION:
My doctor tells me I should remove the fibroids but I don’t have any symptoms?
What would you do if you were me? I’m 35, don’t have children but hope to have them in the future (don’t know when, cause I don’t have a man to have them with). I was diagnosed with 6 larde uterine fibroids, the largest being the size of a melon. I don’t have any symptoms whatsoever, except my stomach is kind of big. My doctor tells me to have a surgery to have them removed. What would you do? Please share your experience if you had them removed. How did you feel 6 weeks after surgery?
The proposed surgery is lapatoral myomectomy (via incision that is).-
ANSWER:
Well, the thing is, even though you don’t have symptoms, those fibroids might represent a problem with carrying a baby to term in the uterus. So if you want to have children, you’d have to have the fibroids removed, anyway. However, because you want to preserve your fertility, I wouldn’t just take the word of this doctor. I would get a second opinion. There are a lot of different ways to remove fibroids, and some doctors are more skilled than others at doing so. You’ll want to have the best surgery, not just an average surgeon. You might want to go to a fertility specialist, who will likely be particularly skilled at removing fibroids while preserving fertility. The worst thing would be to wake up and find that they’ve removed your uterus because the surgery was too difficult otherwise, so you must make your wishes known beforehand. In addition to the myomectomy, there’s also a procedure called “uterine artery embolization” (UAE) that can sometimes be performed, and is less invasive than myomectomy (which surgically cuts out the fibroid). UAE involves cutting off the blood supply to the fibroid, causing it to shrink and go away. This surgery is delicate, but not all that invasive. There’s no way to tell from here which procedure is right for you, but getting a second opinion, and asking each doctor about both myomectomy and UAE, will help you to know what all of your options are.
-
-
QUESTION:
Did anyone get pregnant while having the uterine fibroids and regretted it later?
My doctor tells me I should have fibroids removed before I get pregnant because of possible complications to pregnancy. But I know there are possible complications to surgery too.I lave 6 large fibroids, all intramural, the largest measuring 6 cm (2.5 inches) in diameter
-
ANSWER:
I did conceive w/ 6 large fibroids(inside & outside uterus) in ’06. I will admit that I was in alot of pain b/c the fibroids began growing w/ the baby. He was born prematurely @ 5 months due to an infection…not b/c of the fibroids. We tried conceiving for almost a year w/ fertility drugs but nothing happened. I finally convinced myself to have the tumors removed b/c it seemed like that was the last resort. I had them removed in April and we accidentally conceived in that month as well! Oops! The doctor told us we could resume our activity…we just didn’t think it would result in a baby esp since we had been trying for a year. But I feel so much better having them removed and not having that stress and strain on my body and the baby. I would advise anyone who has fibroids to have them removed by a dr who specialized in preserving the uterus b/c I was originally told I would have to have a hysterectomy. I am an advocate for the surgery…best wishes!
-
-
QUESTION:
If you had uterine fibroids, did you have them removed?
I was diagnosed with 6 uterine fibroids, one of them being the size of 16 weeks fetus (huge, huh?). I was told I should have them removed before trying to get pregnant. I’m scrared – what if the surgery makes things worse and I won’t be able to have children at all? What is your experience.
I’m 35 years old.-
ANSWER:
They told me the same thing, then showed me the video, which wasn’t very pleasant, and can ruin your chances of becoming pregnant. I’d go for a second opinion.
-
Fibroids In The Uterus Symptoms
Can Diet Help With Fibroids In The Uterus? What To Eat And Drink Fibroids in the uterus are very common and affect many women during childbearing years. This non-cancerous, solid tumor can grow in the womb. Many women ask, “can diet help with fibroids in the uterus?” and the answer is that it can, but […]
What Do Fibroids Look Like On An Ultrasound
Ovarian Cysts – What They Are And How They Affect You If you have experienced ovarian cysts at one time or another, they either went away on their own or they caused you significant pain and discomfort. In order to plan the best way of action, you need information on ovarian cysts – what they […]
Natural Cure For Fibroids
Natural Cures for fibroids – Natural Foods To Help Shrink and cure Fibroids Early detection of uterine fibroids is beneficial to cure women suffering from it simply because fibroids natural cure could be actually available right at their homes, and they can make use of these to prevent the progress of the condition. These natural cure will […]
Apple Cider Vinegar For Fibroids
Apple Cider Vinegar and fibroids, Is Apple Cider Vinegar Safe? Uterine polyps are benign growths that develop in the lining of the uterus. They are usually found during routine pelvic exams. Some women experience pain when these polyps grow large enough to cause discomfort. Although natural apple cider vinegar and the cure for fibroids are thought […]