Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & Body Substance Isolation (BSI)
Protecting yourself from blood, bodily fluids and airborne illness is essential for your short and long-term health. There are different levels of protection that we use for various calls.
On every call:
- Eye protection – well-fitting eye protection will protect your eyes from airborne particulates landing in your eyes. Prescription glasses are inadequate for eye protection. It is highly recommended if you wear prescription glasses to invest in a pair that will protect your eyes in this environment.
- Gloves – A single layer of nitrile gloves is the most effective way to keep bloodborne pathogens from accumulating under and around nails and entering your body through cuts.
- To remove soiled gloves:
- Pinch the palm of one hand and pull the glove off, inverting it as you work it off your fingers.
- With the gloved hand, ball up the removed glove.
- Using your ungloved hand, slide two fingers under the cuff of the glove still on your hand.
- Invert the glove as you remove your hand from the glove.
- Dispose of the balled-up gloves properly in a garbage or hazmat bag.
- To remove soiled gloves:
- Mask – for most calls, a well-fitting surgical mask is all that is required.
On respiratory calls:
- Include all the above except for increasing your respiratory protection to a fitted N-95, P100 or PAPR. All devices must be fitted to your face and confirmed by your agency’s occupational health person or department. While in school you will be issued a fitted version that complies with PPE requirements of partnering clinical organizations.
On calls with excessive bleeding, skin contact transmissible disease, and childbirth calls:
- All the above protections are required.
- Gown with a fluid protection barrier.
- To don a gown:
- Place arms through the arm holes.
- Secure the tie straps as indicated by the style of gown.
- To remove the gown
- With gloved hands, pull at the gown and break the straps.
- Ball up a soiled gown with the clean side out and dispose of it properly.
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Full PPE |
Equipment Used |
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N95, P100 or PAPR fitting |
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Date |
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Instructor Initials |
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