Emergency Nursing: Day 3
Personal protective equipment for infection control
- PPE refers to protective clothing, helmets, gloves,
face shields, goggles, facemasks and/or respirators
or other equipment designed to protect wearer from
injury or the spread of infection or illness
- PPE’s are commonly used in health care settings
such as hospitals, doctor’s offices and clinical labs
o Gloves
o Goggles
o Gown
o Booties
o Cap
o Mask
- PPE acts as a barrier between infectious materials
such as viral and bacterial contaminants and your
skin, mouth, nose, or eyes (mucous membranes)
- PPE may also protect patients who are at high risk
for contracting infections through a surgical
procedure or who have a medical condition, such as,
an immunodeficiency, from being exposed to
substances or potentially infectious material brought
in by visitors and healthcare workers
Facemask
- A loose-fitting, disposable device that creates a
physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the
wearer and potential contaminants in the immediate
environment
o Facemasks are not to be shared and may be
labeled as surgical, isolation, dental or
medical procedure masks
o They may come with or without a face
shield
N95 respirators
- Is a respiratory protective device designed to
achieve a very close practical fit and very efficient
filtration of airborne particles
- N95 designation means that when subjected to
careful testing, the respirator blocks at least 95% of
very small (0.3 micron) test particles
o If properly fitted, the filtration capabilities
of N95 exceed those of face masks
o However, even a properly fitted N95
respirator does not completely eliminate
the risk of illness or death
Gloves
- Medical gloves are examples of personal protective
equipment that are used to protect the wearer
and/or the patient from the spread of infection or
illness during medical procedures and examinations
- Use medical gloves when your hands may touch
someone else’s body fluids (blood, respiratory
secretions, vomit, urine, or feces), certain hazardous
drugs or some potentially contaminated items
Gowns
- Used to protect the wearer from the spread of
infection of illness if the wearer comes in contact
with potentially infectious liquid and solid material
- Used to help prevent the gown wearer from
contaminating vulnerable patients, such as those
with weakened immune systems
Levels of protections
o Level 1 Minimal risk – to be used during basic care,
standard isolation, cover gown for visitors, or in a
standard medical unit
o Level 2 Low risk – to be used during blood draw,
suturing, in the ICU or a pathology lab
o Level 3 Moderate risk – to be used during arterial
blood draw, inserting an IV line, in the ER, or trauma
cases
o Level 4 High risk – to be used during long, fluid
intense procedures, surgery, when pathogen
resistance is needed or infectious diseases are
suspected (non-airborne)
 Effective use of PPE includes properly
removing and disposing of contaminated
PPE to prevent exposing both the wearer
and other people to infection
Improvised nuclear device
Type of nuclear weapon
- When an IND explodes, it gives off 4 types of energy
o Blast wave
o Intense light
o Head
o Radiation
- The bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan at the end
of WW2 is an example of an IND
- When an IND explodes, a large fireball is created
o Everything inside of this fireball vaporizes
and is carried upward
o This created a mushroom-shaped cloud
o The material in the cloud cools into dust-
like particles and drops back to the earth as
fallout
o Fallout can be carried by the wind and can
end up miles from the site of the explosion
o Fallout is radioactive and can contaminate
anything it lands on
Types of dangers
- Injury or death (blast wave)
- Moderate to severe burns (heat and fires)
- Blindness (intense light)
- Radiation sickness, also known as acute radiation
syndrome or ARS (radiation)
o Fallout on the outside of the body or
clothes (external contamination) or on the
inside of the body (internal contamination)
o Radiation sickness
o Contaminated food and water sources
Protection
- Get inside
- Stay inside
- Stay tuned
Nuclear power plant accidents
Emergency Nursing: Day 3
- Nuclear power plants have safety and security - Listen for instructions from emergency officials
procedures in place and are closely monitored by the - Contact doctor
NRC Transportation accidents
o An accident at a nuclear power plant could - Radioactive material is transported by trucks, rail,
release dangerous levels of radiation over and other shipping methods
an area (plume) o Shipments involving significant amounts of
Types of dangers radioactive material are required to have
- Outdoors documentation, labels, and placards
- Buildings identifying the cargo as radioactive
- Food o Radioactive material must be packed in
- Water special protective containers that are
- Livestock designed and tested to withstand damage
o Respiration Types of dangers
o Eating/drinking - Contact and exposure to radioactive material
 Cancer Protections
Protection - Report any transportation involving radiation to
- Get inside emergency responders immediately
- Stay inside - Stay as far away from the site
- Stay tuned - Do not touch any cargo
Dirty bomb or radiological dispersal device - Listen for instructions from emergency officials and
- Mix of explosives, such as dynamite, and radioactive contact your doctor
powder or pellets Workplace radiation incidents
o Radiological dispersal device - Workplaces like health care facilities, research
- A dirty bomb can create an atomic blast institutions, and industrial operations may use
- When the bomb explodes, the blast carries radiation sources
radioactive material into the surrounding area o Radiation sources are store or used
Types of dangers incorrectly
- Dangers come from the explosion o Safety controls malfunctions
o Injuries o Safety procedures are not followed
o Property damage - The health effects from a workplace incident
 Dust involving radiation sources could range from no
 Contaminated food health effects to very serious health effects based on
 Contaminated water several factors
Protection o Type and amount of radioactive material
- Get inside o How long people were near the radioactive
- Stay inside material or how long the radioactive
- Stay tuned material was in or on the body
Radiological exposure device o How close people were to the radioactive
- An object containing radioactive material can expose material
people to radiation without their knowledge o What parts of the body were exposed
o REDs, or hidden sealed sources Protection
- Hidden in public places - Use required personal protective and monitoring
o Subway seat equipment
o Food court o Be familiar with safety precautions and
o Busy hallway procedures, and complete required
Types of dangers radiation safety trainings
- Type and amount of radioactive material - Report any incidents involving radiation to safety
- How long a person spends near the device officials
- What parts of a person’s body are exposed to o Stay far away from the site of the incident
radiation coming from the device as possible
o Acute Radiation Syndrome - Follow instructions from safety officials and contact
 Burns the Doctor
 Hours, days, or weeks
 Mild to severe
Protection
- Report a suspected RED to law enforcement officials
- Stay as far away as possible