Remember anthrax, bird flu, swine flu, H1N1, SARS and the threat of pandemics? Ever think about Ebola or necrotising fascitis (the so-called flesh eating disease)?
Perhaps you were a part of the planning for your agency — perhaps even for county, state or even national level responses. This planning was critical to be sure; critical to containing the spread and if possible to offer protection. Critical to ensure necessary biological suits were ordered and special receiving facilities were identified and established
We live in globetrotting world that allows disease to spread at the speed of air travel. A contagious person could board a plane overseas and depart to any continent — in any country. The risk potential is of global significance. People do need to think about and plan for such outbreaks.
Remember AIDS, HIV, hepatitis A, B, and C? How about TB, pneumonia, MRSA and the common cold? These diseases are still out there, of course. Is protecting yourself or your crews a major priority? Are people within your agency planning for these every day and common diseases? Are you afraid of catching some disease and taking it home, potentially posing a risk to loved ones?
Let’s review some of the activities that should occur to help prevent the spread of disease.
- Does your agency have an exposure control plan? When was it last updated?
- Are you provided with annual training?
- Have you evaluated and selected appropriate ‘protected sharps’? Is this current? Are there any new products that offer better protection and safeguards?
- Do you (or your employees) have properly fitted face masks? Will you recognize those patients who pose a potential risk and mask up when necessary?
- Have you completed the hepatitis B vaccination series? This must be offered at no charge to all covered employees ( US reference). The complete series is three shots and should be followed by a titre test.
- When you perform invasive procedures such as intubation, do you wear full face protection including eye protection? Is eye protection easily available?
- What patients do you glove up for? What patients don’t you glove up for? Are gloves readily available?
- Are you offered annual flu shots?
- Are you offered the hepatitis A vaccine?
- Do you wash your hands after every patient drop off?
It’s important to remember and plan for all sources of possible infection. Patients infecting EMS caregivers and vice versa is a very real concern.
Hand washing is often promoted as the single most effective activity to decrease the risk of cross-infection. From the list above, it is obvious there are many more steps you can take to reduce the risk.
Don’t allow yourself or your agency to get so focused on sensational media threats that you fail to pay heed and take caution against the risks that are right in front of you.
