6 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A Y 2 0 1 8
Solidifying fluid waste, using a closed
system to capture runoff and wearing
proper personal protective equipment
greatly reduce your staff's risk of
exposure to potentially infectious
material, but no solution is failsafe. If
a member of your team comes in con-
tact with fluid waste, immediately
implement these response steps:
1. Flush and wash. Immediately
treat the area that was ex-posed. For
this reason, there should be an eye-
wash station, a sink and a soap dis-
penser near the fluid waste disposal
location.
2. Document it. Have the employee complete whatever docu-
mentation is required at your facility for reporting an exposure,
whether that's with a paper form or on your facility's intranet.
3. Assess the risk. Talk with the employee to complete an expo-
sure risk assessment and begin any necessary treatment plans
based on the volume of fluid she was exposed to and the area
that was exposed. A splash is an exposure risk only if fluid enters
the eye, nose, mouth or open skin area.
4. Consider the source. Include known information about the
patient during the risk assessment. Do they have a known or sus-
pected viral or bacterial load or some infectious disease? If the
patient has a documented diagnosis, no additional testing is nec-
STAFF SAFETY
Steps to Take When Exposure Occurs
• WASTE NOT The manual disposing of filled
canisters increases exposure risks.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
