Healthcare Safety and Standard
Precautions Competencies 1-2
Module Description
 This course module introduces the rules and standards related to
regulatory policies required of healthcare facilities.
 It emphasizes personal safety standards and requirements to work in
healthcare settings including infection control standards and
principles, Standard Precautions, healthcare facility and safety
policies, personal and client safety strategies, and procedures to
respond to emergencies.
Module Outline and Instructor Resources
 This module consists of 8 competencies.
 Competencies are divided into units with learning activities to help
students master the competency.
 Each learning activity is explained on the Module Outline and the
resources are identified/described
 Choose the learning activities that best meet your classroom needs.
Module Outline and Instructor Resources
 Find these learning activities and resources on the website or create
your own.
 The Course Outline also has documents that the instructor can use
in teaching the lesson.
 These competencies are listed on the following slide and will then be
addressed throughout the remainder of the power point.
Module Competencies
1. List regulatory agencies and requirements they set for safety standards for
healthcare facilities, their employees, and clients/individuals.
2. Explain the current requirements of standard precautions and the
procedures used at a variety of healthcare facilities to support those
standards.
3. Describe the methods healthcare facilities use to achieve physical,
chemical and biological safety.
4. Describe the principles and standards of infection control.
5. Identify ways in which healthcare workers can demonstrate personal and
client safety including the use of safety data sheets (SDS) and symbols
and labeling.
Module Competencies, cont.
6. Demonstrate proper hand washing and gloving.
7. Explain the procedures used to respond to client/individual and
healthcare facilities emergencies (including fire safety) and natural
disasters
8. Using a problem solving process applied to healthcare situations,
describe the standards needed to ensure healthcare safety.
Competency 1
List regulatory agencies and requirements they set for
safety standards for healthcare facilities, their employees,
and clients/individuals.
Competency 1
1. List regulatory agencies and the requirements they set for safety standards for
healthcare facilities, their employees, and clients. Units included in this competency
are:
A. Identify selected safety terminology relevant to healthcare.
B. Identify the CDC and list its safety requirement(s) as they pertain to the healthcare
environment.
C. Identify OSHA and the Department of Health and list safety regulations as they pertain
to the healthcare environment.
D. Identify the Joint Commission and describe its role in regulating safety with the
healthcare environment.
E. Identify the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard and list its requirements.
Unit 1A: Terminology and Definitions
Recommended Content
 Many of our students are no doubt employed and yet perhaps have
no idea of the safety regulations for their place of employment.
 At the beginning of this module it is beneficial to have a discussion
about the terminology and definitions for the module
 Review the Vocabulary List
Unit 1B: Regulatory Agencies
Tips on presenting the material
 The following several slides will address the regulatory agencies put forth
in the curriculum.
 Many students will find this information less than exciting and as
instructors is can be difficult to present this information in an exciting way.
Adding examples, case studies and discussion can help highlight how
important this topic is in the workplace.
 As health educators we are aware of the importance of the regulatory
agencies, yet we don’t really think about them until we need to use them.
 The agencies and their guidelines are clear and presented in a factual way.
This is what can make the delivery of such information difficult.
Unit 1B: Regulatory Agencies
 Two very important regulatory agencies have led the way in the
battle against pathogens. They are responsible for developing the
guidelines to safeguard health care workers, their patients, and the
public.
 An essential part of healthcare training is understanding the purpose
of these agencies and learning the guidelines that pertain to specific
occupations.
 The two agencies are the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA). (Juliar, p. 144)
 Other agencies that will be discussed on the following slides are:
The Department of Health (Example: MN), Employee Right to Know
and the Joint Commission.
(see next slide)
Unit 1B: Regulatory Agencies
CDC – Center for Disease Control & Prevention
OSHA – Occupational Safety & Health Administration
MDH - Minnesota Department of Health (Example MN)
TJC – The Joint Commission
Unit 1B: The CDC
Recommended Content
 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a government
agency that is part of the United States Department of Health and Human
Services.
 By studying the causes and distribution of diseases (epidemiology), the CDC
is able to formulate safety guidelines to help prevent and control the spread
of infectious diseases.
 Other major tasks include the licensing of clinical laboratories, maintenance
of laboratory reference centers for microorganisms, and operation of
extensive disease research programs.
(Juliar, p. 144)
Unit 1B: CDC – Center for Disease Control
CDC as the lookout for the health of the people of the U.S. and
throughout the world, strives to protect people’s health and safety,
provide reliable health information, and improve health through strong
partnerships.
Established in 1946 to control Malaria outbreaks in post WW2 war
areas.
Unit 1B: The CDC
 The Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee
(HICPAC) of the CDC presented new guidelines for isolation
precautions in hospitals in 1996.
 These guidelines designate two tiers of precautions:
1. Standard Precautions
2. Transmission-Based Precautions
(Berman et al., p. 688)
Unit 1B: The CDC
 Standard Precautions are applied to every client in the healthcare
environment.
 Standard precautions assumes blood and body fluids of ANY patient
could be infectious and recommends the use of personal protective
equipment (PPE) and other infection control practices to prevent the
transmission of microorganisms in any healthcare setting.
(see next slide)
Unit 1B: The CDC
Transmission-based Precautions
 Transmission-based precautions are used in addition to standard precautions
for clients with known or suspected infections that are spread in one of three
ways by:
 Airborne transmission
 Droplet transmission
 Contact transmission
 The three types of transmission-based precautions can be used alone or in
combination, but always in addition to standard precautions. (Berman et al.,
p. 689)
Unit 1B: The CDC
1. Airborne Precautions are used for client known to have or suspected of
having serious illnesses transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei smaller than 5
microns.
 Examples of such illnesses include measles, chicken pox, shingles, and
tuberculosis.
2. Droplet Precautions are used for clients known or suspected to have serious
illnesses by particle droplets larger than 5 microns.
3. Contact Precautions are used for client known or suspected to have serious
illnesses easily transmitted by direct client contact or by contact with items in
the client’s environment.
 Examples of such illnesses are diphtheria, pneumonia, pertussis,
(Berman et al., 2008
Unit 1C: OSHA and MDH
Recommended Content
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) was established in 1970 and is a governmental agency that is under the
Department of Labor. Its two functions are to:
 Establish minimum health and safety standards for the workplace and to
 Enforce those standards (Juliar, p. 144)
 OSHA is the “watchdog” of employee safety and has the authority to conduct
onsite inspections to verify compliance with its standards.
 It is the agency that requires employers to have an exposure control plan and
provide hepatitis B vaccines to employees with occupational risk (Bloodborne
Pathogens Standards).
(see next slide)
Unit 1C: OSHA and MDH
As a result of students viewing a 5 minute YouTube video, they will
have a brief understanding of the beginning and importance of
OSHA.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration 40 Year History
Students can also learn more by accessing the OSHA website to
learn more.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(see next slide)
Unit 1C: OSHA and MDH
Identify the Department of Health for your state (Example: Minnesota
Department of Health) and list its safety requirements as they pertain to the
healthcare environment.
Example: Minnesota’s Employee Right-To-Know Act was passed by the
Legislature during the 1983 session and is enforced as part of the
Occupational Safety and Health program in the Department of Labor and
Industry.
Unit 1D: Joint Commission
Recommended Content
 The Joint Commission formally called the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or JCAHO is a private,
nonprofit organization whose purpose is to encourage the attainment
of high standards of institutional medical care.
 Because maintaining quality of care, trying to control healthcare
costs, and providing adequate services to the community are a
priority, many healthcare institutions seek voluntary accreditation from
the Joint Commission.

(Juliar, p. 59)
Unit 1D: Joint Commission
Recommended Content
 The Joint Commission establishes guidelines for the operation of
hospitals and other facilities and conducts inspections to ensure that
standards are being met.
 Healthcare workers employed at a Joint Commission accredited
facilities should become familiar with the standards that regulate the
duties and areas for which they are responsible.
(Juliar, p. 59)
Unit 1E: OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens
Standard
Recommended Content
What are Bloodborne Pathogens?
 Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms present in
blood that can cause disease in humans.
 These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus
(HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV), the virus that causes AIDS.
 Workers exposed to bloodborne pathogens are at risk for serious or
life-threatening illnesses.
(OSHA)
Competency #1: Regulatory Agencies
Unit 1E: OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
Bloodborne Pathogens Standards require employers to:
 Establish an exposure control plan.
 Employers must update the plan annually to reflect changes in tasks,
procedures, and positions that affect occupational exposure, and also
technological changes that eliminate or reduce occupational exposure.
 Implement the use of universal precautions.
 Identify & use engineering controls.
 Identify & ensure the use of work practice controls.
 Provide personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, gowns,
eye protection, & masks. (OSHA)
Unit 1E: Interactive Learning Activity
 If you are looking for an interactive learning activity, this might be
something your students will enjoy!
 Interactive Simulation for Standard Precautions
Competency 1: Regulatory Agencies
Recommended Learning Activities
Assignment
Resources
Notes
HCS Competency 1
- Healthcare
Regulatory
Agencies:
4 websites for
researching the
agencies
This assignment has the student
researching a regulatory agency
which can be used as a
presentation or a written
assignment.
In this assignment, students answers
questions that pertain to pathogens
commonly found on sponges, sinks,
and rags.
HCS Competency 1
Students find
– 8: Sponges and
research
Sinks and Rags, Oh information online
My!
Competency 2
Explain the current requirements of standard precautions and the
procedures used at a variety of healthcare facilities to support
those standards.
Competency 2
2. Explain the current requirements of standard precautions and the procedures
used at a variety of healthcare facilities to support those standards.
Units included in this competency are:
A. Explain the purpose of standard precautions and when they are applied.
B. List common pathogens.
C. Identify PPE (personal protective equipment) and usage.
D. List compliance measures for Blood borne Pathogens Standards.
E. Identify types of Isolation Precautions and describe why isolation is used in a
healthcare facility.
F. Identify concerns and needs of clients in isolation.
Unit 2A: Purpose of Standard Precautions
Recommended Content
Standard Precautions are used in the care of all patients/residents/clients
regardless of their diagnosis or possible infection status.
 They apply to blood, all body fluids, secretions and excretions, (except
sweat -whether or not blood is present or visible, non-intact (broken) skin,
and mucous membranes.
 Standard Precautions are designed to reduce the risk of transmission of
microorganisms from recognized & unrecognized sources.
(Berman et al., p. 689)
Unit 2A: Purpose of Standard Precautions
 It is critical to make students aware that standard precautions are used on
ALL clients regardless of age, race, sex, sexual identity, religion, mental
health capacities, etc.
 Some of the areas in which standard precautions must be applied are:
 Hand hygiene
 PPEs
 Care Equipment
 Sharps
 Etc.
Unit 2B: Common Pathogens
Recommended Content
 As healthcare educators we are quite familiar with pathogens and
their disease causing capabilities.
 The following 2 slides will address the pathogens that most people
are familiar with. Bacteria and viruses.
Tips for presenting the material
 Like most people, our students tend to be unfamiliar with the term,
pathogen, rather they are comfortable with germ.
 In presenting this material, it is advised to review the terminology
associated with this competency.
Unit 2B: Common Pathogens
Bacteria: most common type of
disease-causing microorganism
 They can live in & be transported
through air, water, food, soil,
inanimate objects, & body tissues
& fluid.
 Aerobic bacteria grow in the
presence of oxygen, whereas
anaerobic bacteria grow only in
the absence of oxygen.
(Kockrow, p. 272)
Unit 2B: Common Pathogens
Viruses:
 Smallest known disease-causing agent
 They must enter living cells in order to
reproduce.
 Viruses cannot survive or maintain their
infectiousness outside a host.
 Viral infections are self-limiting (common
cold).
 Some can cause serious illnesses or death
(hepatitis A, B, & C, herpes simplex, herpes
zoster, varicella, human immunodeficiency
virus [HIV] & AIDS). (Kockrow, p. 274
Unit 2C: PPE
Recommended Content
Before discussing personal protective equipment (PPE), here are a few
comments about standard precautions.
 Standard precautions and guidelines are critical in all healthcare professions.
 Standard Precautions are used in the care of all patients/residents regardless
of their diagnosis or possible infection status.
 They apply to blood, all body fluids, secretions and excretions, except sweat
(whether or not blood is present or visible), non-intact (broken) skin, and
mucous membranes.
 Standard Precautions are designed to reduce the risk of transmission of
microorganisms from recognized & unrecognized sources.
(Berman et al., p. 689)
Competency #2: Standard Precautions
Unit 2C: PPE
The curriculum addresses 6 parts of PPE. They are as follows:
1. Handwashing
2. Gloves
3. Mask, Eye Protection
4. Gown
5. Handling of Sharps
6. Linen & Trash
These are discussed in the following slides. The slides provides reason why PPE are
used, how they are used and disposal of them.
(see next slide)
Unit 2C: PPE - Handwashing
Handwashing
 Perform proper hygiene after contact with blood, body fluids,
secretions, excretions, & contaminated objects whether or not gloves
are worn.
 Perform proper hand hygiene immediately after removing gloves and
other wear or equipment.
 Before eating, drinking, smoking, applying makeup, or changing
contact lenses and after using the restroom facilities.
 Before all other activities that entail hand contact with mucous
membranes or a break in the skin.
 Before and after every patient contact.
 Use a non-antimicrobial product for routine hand cleaning.
 Use antimicrobial agent or an antiseptic agent for the control of
specific outbreaks. (Berman et al., p. 689)
Unit 2C: PPE-Gloving
Use of Gloves
Wear clean gloves when touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions,
and contaminated items (i.e., soiled gowns)
1. Clean gloves can be unsterile unless their use is intended to prevent
entrance of microorganisms into the body (invasive procedures).
2. Remove gloves before touching non-contaminated items and surfaces.
3. Perform proper hand hygiene immediately after removing the gloves.
(Berman et al., p. 689)
Unit 2C: PPE-Mask, Face Protection
Mask, Eye Protection, Face Shield-PPE
Wear mask, eye protection, or a face shield if splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids,
secretions, or excretions can be expected.
(Berman et al., p. 689)
Unit 2C: PPE-Gowns
Gowns
Wear a clean, non-sterile gown if client care is likely to result in splashes or
sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions.
 The gown is intended to protect clothing.
 A Remove a soiled gown carefully to avoid the transfer of microorganisms
to others (i.e., clients or other healthcare workers).
 Cleanse hands after removing the gown.
(Berman et al., p. 689)
Unit 2C: PPE-Gloving
Sharps, Scalpels, Needles
 Prevent injuries from scalpels, needles, or other equipment and place in
puncture-resistant containers.
Linens
 Handle, transport, and process linen that is soiled with blood, body fluids,
secretions, and excretions in a manner to prevent contamination of clothing
and the transfer of microorganisms to others and to the environment.
 Fold or roll linen so that the dirtiest area is inside before disposing the linen
into a bag or hamper.
(Berman et al., p. 689)
(see next slide)
Unit 2C: PPE
Removing PPE
 Remove PPE in an area where you are not in danger of exposure
to the infectious agent, such as a separate room, a porch, a
garage, or entryway. Then identify the clean areas and
contaminated areas of the PPE.
 Clean areas: have not been in contact with infectious agent
 Contaminated areas: have been in contact with infectious agent
Unit 2C: PPE
Removing PPE Continued…
 To limit self-contamination, remove PPE in the following order:
1. Gloves
2. Goggles (or face shield)
3. Gown (or apron/coverall)
4. Shoe and/or hair covers (if worn)
5. Mask/ respirator
 After removing PPE, discard immediately and properly to prevent
contamination of the clean area. Always remember to perform
hand hygiene immediately after removing PPE.
(Local Public Health, Institute of MA)
Unit 2D: Compliance for Bloodborne Pathogens
Standards
Recommended Content
 Bloodborne Pathogens Standards state what employers must do to
protect workers who are occupationally exposed to blood or other
potentially infectious materials (OPIM), as defined in the standard.
 The requirements of Bloodborne Pathogens Standards by employers
are addressed on the next slide.
(see next slide)
Unit 2D: Compliance for Bloodborne Pathogens
Standards
Bloodborne Pathogens Standards require employers to:
 Establish an exposure control plan.
 Employers must update the plan annually to reflect changes in tasks,
procedures, and positions that affect occupational exposure, and also
technological changes that eliminate or reduce occupational exposure.
 Implement the use of universal precautions.
 Identify & use engineering controls.
 Identify & ensure the use of work practice controls.
 Provide personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, gowns,
eye protection, & masks. (OSHA)
Unit 2E: Isolation Precautions
Recommended Content
 Isolation procedures are implemented with persons who have easily transmitted
diseases.
 Isolation precautions are used for 2 basic reasons:
1. To protect the patient/client
2. To protect the healthcare worker and the public
 The rules to be followed are based on the 3 methods of transportation a pathogen
may take:
1. Contact Isolation
2. Droplet Isolation
3. Airborne Isolation
Unit 2F: Needs of clients in isolation
Recommended Content
Clients requiring isolation precautions can develop several problems as
a result of the separation from others and of the special precautions
taken in providing their care.
Two of the most common problems are:
 Sensory deprivation
 Decreased self-esteem related to feelings of inferiority
(Berman et al., p. 695)
Unit 2F: Needs of clients in isolation
Sensory deprivation-occurs when the environment lacks normal
stimuli for the client, for example, communication with others.
 Healthcare workers should be alert for common clinical signs, such
as boredom, inactivity, slowness of thought, daydreaming, increased
sleeping, thought disorganization, anxiety, hallucinations, and panic.
(Berman et al., p. 695)
Unit 2F: Needs of clients in isolation
Decreased Self-Esteem
 A client’s feeling of inferiority can be due to the perception of the
infection itself or to the required precautions.
 In North America, many people place a high value on cleanliness and
the idea of being “soiled,” “contaminated,” or “dirty” can give clients
the feeling that they are at fault and substandard.
 The infected persons may feel unclean, rejected, lonely, or guilty.
 Although this is obviously not true, the infected persons may feel “not
so good,” as others may blame them and they may blame
themselves.
(Berman et al., p. 695)
Competency 2: Standard Precautions
Recommended Learning Activities
Assignment
HCS Competency 2:
Bloodborne Pathogens
Standards
HCS Competency 2:
Scenarios Chain of
Infection
Resources
Notes
PP on Bloodborne
In this assignment, students answer
Pathogens
questions on blood borne pathogens after
YouTube video
reviewing PP and YouTube Video.
Bloodborne
Pathogens
PP on Chain of
Infection
Students review two scenarios with
questions on the application of
environmental safety for discussion
Author: Dede Carr, BS, LDA
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