 Welcome to Bloodborne Pathogens in Schools, Revised 2018, a project of the Educational Service Unit No. 8, School Nursing Department. Bloodborne Pathogens training again? Absolutely. Everyone who works in a school setting has a potential risk for exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens and that includes you. While you might even have a small first aid kit in your classroom or office that contains gloves and band-aids. Why? There's a good chance you will come into contact with body fluids like blood or vomit. And your school nurse wants you to have easy access to personal protective equipment and follow universal precautions. Plus, the training is an annual requirement. Universal precautions are defined as an approach to infection control to treat all human blood and certain human body fluids as if they were known to be infectious for HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens. BBPs are microscopic organisms that are present in human blood and body fluids that can cause diseases in humans. The viruses that are of most concern when administering first aid or care at school are HIV or human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B or HBV, and hepatitis C or HCV. HIV affects the body's immune system so that it is unable to fight infection. There's little risk of HIV transmission at school as the virus does not survive long outside the body and only reproduces within a human host. There is also no cure for AIDS and no vaccine for HIV. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C both cause liver infections and the term hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Symptoms of both of these diseases include fever, nausea, headache, and fatigue. And although the symptoms may be similar, the viruses are spread in different ways. The CDC states most people become infected with hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness, but for the majority, it becomes a long-term chronic infection. The majority of infected persons might not be aware of their infection because they're not clinically ill. And like HIV, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis B can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious lifelong illness. Many people with hepatitis B showed no symptoms and don't know they're infected. According to kidshealth.org, HBV most commonly spreads through sexual activity with an HBV-infected person, shared contaminated needles or syringes for injecting drugs, and transmission from an HBV-infected mother to her newborn baby. Fortunately, there is a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B, and anyone who is at risk, including some school personnel, should be vaccinated. You may be wondering how BBPs can spread in a school environment. These pathogens are most likely to be transmitted when an individual touches a contaminated surface and then touches his or her, mouth, nose, or eyes. They can also enter a person's bloodstream through a break in the skin, like a neck, cut, or even acne. Hepatitis B can survive outside the body for at least seven days. During that time, the virus is still capable of causing infection, even if the blood is dried. All blood spills, including those that have already dried, should be clean and disinfected, and it goes without saying that gloves should always be worn. Other types of PPE provided by your district may include gowns, face shields, and masks, especially if you're trained to provide CPR. Seaglasses or goggles, lab coats, shoe covers, and heavy-duty utility gloves. Those of us who work at school often see bloody noses, abrasions, cuts, and other minor incidents that require us to respond to a student injury or illness. Many times a student with a small abrasion or cut can apply direct pressure to the wound and try to stop the bleeding herself, or she can plug her nose to stop a nose bleed. But at other times, we must step in and help. Remember, universal precautions assumes every person may be infected, so although your first response might be to immediately offer help to an injured person, it is vital to first protect yourself with personal protective equipment. So put on your PPE before helping, and if the injury is serious, have someone else go call 911. Use your first aid techniques to stop the bleeding, minimizing blood loss, and apply direct pressure to the wound. Afterwards, remove and dispose of your soiled gloves carefully, using the technique demonstrated by your school nurse. And never touch the outside of the glove with your bare hands. After removing your gloves, wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. According to the CDC, hand washing is one of the best ways to protect yourself. Follow these five steps to wash your hands the right way every time. Wet your hands and apply soap. Lather your hands and scrub all surfaces for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the happy birthday song from beginning to end, twice. Rinse your hands well, and turn off the water using a paper towel, if possible. Dry your hands using a clean towel or an air dryer. Unfortunately, sometimes hand washing facilities aren't available. In that case, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or an antiseptic towelette. But wash with soap and water as soon as possible. Never attempt to clean up blood or other body fluids unless you are trained and authorized to do so. Remember, never use your hands to pick up sharp objects. Your custodial staff will use tongs or forceps followed by a broom and a dustpan, and they will follow the district policy for disposal. The custodial staff also will implement a cleaning schedule. A lot of activity goes on during your work day at school. Keep yourself safe by monitoring your classroom and work areas and following these work practice controls. Wash your hands frequently and refrain from touching your face. Don't eat drink, apply cosmetics or handle your contact lenses in areas where contamination might be possible. And keep your food and drink away from those areas, too. Guidelines developed by the CDC protect you from exposure to BBPs. Your district's exposure control plan contains information, including what to do if you suspect an exposure. If you're not sure what to do, ask your administrator or your school nurse. In summary, you've learned a lot about blood-borne pathogens and how they are transmitted. Let's review some of the precautions you can take to protect yourself. Minimize your exposure to blood-borne pathogens by always using universal precautions and wearing PPE when appropriate. Keep your environment clean and your hands washed and utilize work practice controls. Thanks for listening. Please contact your school nurse if you have any questions about blood-borne pathogens. And on behalf of the ESU 8 School Nursing staff, I hope that you have a fabulous and healthy school year.