Prev Med-Occupational Health

Question 1

Physical hazards

Answer 1

MSK injury, noise, heat, lasers, radiation, violence and motor vehicle accidents

Question 2

Chemical hazards

Answer 2

Anesthetics (spontaneous abortions), medications (chemotherapeutics are carcinogens/teratogens, antivirals), glutaraldehyde (irritant & can cause contact dermatitis/asthma), formaldehyde (upper respiratory irritant, class I carcinogen and allergic contact dermatitis) and ethylene oxide (spontaneous abortions, irritant, respiratory, CNS effects)

Question 3

When do you engage in medical surveillance?

Answer 3

Entry to hospital, change in exposure, periodic assessments.

Question 4

What regulation is informing medical staff about MSDS location and exposures a part of?

Answer 4

HAZCOM, people are informed what things they are being exposed to

Question 5

Psychological hazards

Answer 5

Work stress from job tasks and organization

Question 6

Biologic hazards

Answer 6

Tb, HIV, Hep B/C, Allergens

Question 7

Standard precautions against biologic hazards

Answer 7

Treat all blood, body fluids, secretions and excretions as if they are infected in all patients.

Question 8

Contact precautions against biologic hazards

Answer 8

Disease is spread by direct contact with patient or the patient’s environment. Gown and glove up b/f going in, dispose of gown and gloves before exiting. This is used for GI illnesses like norovirus, C. diff, and also RSV.

Question 9

Droplet precautions against biologic hazards

Answer 9

Mask and respirator for close contact b/c respiratory secretions do not remain infectious for long or travel far distances (influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus, RSV)

Question 10

Airborne precautions against biologic hazards

Answer 10

Negative pressure room (Airborne infection isolation room), respiratory protection with respirators that are seal fit (N95). This is for disease that remain infectious over long distances when suspended in air (rubeola, varicella, Tb)

Question 11

Actions after a needle stick

Answer 11

Wash w/soap and water, flush from mucous membranes, irrigate, report and seek medical treatment.

Question 12

What is the risk of a non-vaccinated health care worker who was exposed to HBsAG positive blood? How do you treat an exposure?

Answer 12

31%. The virus remains viable on environmental surfaces for a week and resists drying, alcohol, heat and detergent. If you’re a non-responder you can get HBIG

Question 13

Hep C needle stick injury risk?

Answer 13

1.8%. Note that if you do convert there is treatment, but there is no method for prevention.

Question 14

HIV needle stick injury risk? What do you do to assess risk?

Answer 14

0.3%. Mucous membrane and non-intact skin exposure is 0.1%. Assess w/rapid HIV test and give post exposure prophylaxis.