Ch. 2 (Workplace Safety & Wellness) PDF

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EMT Ch. 2 Notes...

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Chapter 2 Workforce Safety & Wellness *we must take care of ourselves* Recognition of hazards: personal neglect, environment and human made threats, mental and physical stress Wellness: state of complete mental,physical and social well being → personal safety → scene safety → patient care Calm manor will calm the patient: your demeanor will set the pace of the call (take control of the situation even its beyond your scope) Strategies to Manage Stress: change your attitude, your environment, TALK ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL, professional counseling, do not obsess, familia support system is important, don't devote your entire life to EMS (have outside interests), minimize physical response to stress (work out, yoga, etc.) , eat healthy, SLEEP Infectious and Communicable Disease (wash your hands) → disease is caused by organisms within the body → can be spread from person-person, one species to another → minimize risk of infection: wear masks, gloves, wash hands, wear PPE, socially distance, vaccinations Routes of Transmission: → Direct contact → Indirect contact → Foodborne: eating in the ambulance → Airborne: sneeze in your face → Vector-Borne: bee sting, mosquito sting Risk Reduction: → proper handling of blood-borne pathogens → CDC standard precautions: (PPE, patient care environment, special circumstances) Hand Hygiene: → wash hands before and after contact (20 sec), if no running water use a waterless substitute Gloves: → wear gloves for exposure to blood or body fluids (change your gloves regularly during the call) → avoid contaminating yourself with materials on the outside of the gloves, still wash your hand after using gloves Eye Protection: → protects from blood splatters, prescription glasses are not adequate, goggles or face shields are best Gowns: → protection from extensive blood splatter, may not be practical in all situations (you start gowning up on the way there if you know how the scene will be)

*Wear a standard surgical mask for fluid splatter, wear a particulate respirator if the disease agent is airborne, when performing ventilations, use a barrier device* Proper Disposal of Sharps: → do not recap, bend, or break needles → dispose used shaps items in an approved closed container Employer Responsibility → the risk of exposure to a communicable disease is a hazard of your job, know your departments infection control plan and follow it Establishing an Infection Control Route: → should be part of your daily routine, clean the ambulance after each run, cleaning should be done at the hospital whenever possible (if you get a call on the way back the ambulance is clean, until you clean you are out of service) Immunity: → even if germs reach you, you may not become infected (you may be immune) → Preventative Measures: maintain personal health, get immunizations General Postexposure Management: → if you are exposed to blood or body fluids ● Turn over patient care to ems provider ● Clean exposed area ● Rinse eyes for 20 min (if necessary) ● Activate your departments infection control plan ● Complete an exposure report Scene Safety: → Hazards: ● Hazardous material ● Electricity ● Fire ● Vehicle Crashes → Protective Clothing: cold weather gear, turnout gear (gloves, helmets, boots), eye protc., ear prot., skin prote. Caring for Critically ill: → let the patient know who you are and what you are doing → let them know that you are attending to their needs Response of Critical Patient: anxiety, fear, pain, anger, depression, dependency, guilt Communicating with Critically Ill PT ● Avoid sad comments ● Orient the pt. ● Be honest ● Allow for hope ● Locate and notify family members Injured and Ill Children → ask for a responsible adult to accompany the child → Death of a Child: tragic event, help the family in anyway you can

Death & Dying: can be quick or slow → Stages of Grief ● Denial ● Anger, hostility ● Barging ● Depression ● Acceptance Allow the family to grieve, be honest, reinforce reality, ask how you can help Stress Management → high stress job → General Adaptation Syndrome: made in 1946 (3 ways to deal with stress) ● Alarm response to stress (sugar up, heart rate up, fight or flight, pupils are dilated) ● Reaction and resistance (your body basically is fighting itself) ● Recovery (exhaustion) → you crash you get very very tired → Physiological Signs of Stress: increased respirations, heart rate, tensed muscles, cool clammy, increased blood sugar etc. TYPES OF STRESS Acute: occuring during stressful situation Delayed: after stressful event Cumulative: prolonged or excessive stress PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder → critical incident stress management (CISM) was developed to decrease likelihood of PTSD Violent Situations: → Created by civil disturbances, large gatherings, domestic disputes, crime scenes → law enforcement should secure the scene before entry → DO NOT DISTURB CRIME SCENE EVIDENCE Workplace Issues: → Communicate in a successful way → Sexual Harassment: ● Quid Pro Quo: favor or advantage granted for something in return: trade off ● Hostile Work Environment → Substance Abuse: seek help or find a way to comfort an addicted coworker...