Post Exposure Care Flashcard
Rationale
A. Rationale: When the eye is exposed to biohazardous material, such as blood from a patient with HIV, the rescuer must immediately irrigate the eye with sterile normal saline solution or water for 20 minutes. The exposure should then be reported to the employee’s supervisor.
Question
Blood from a patient with HIV splashes into your eye. What should you do next?
a. Immediately irrigate the eyes with sterile normal saline solution for 20 minutes
b. Finish working with the patient, then quickly wash the eye with a specialized soap
c. Apply ophthalmic antibiotic ointment
d. Instill an alcohol-based product to the affected eye
Answer
a. Immediately irrigate the eyes with sterile normal saline solution for 20 minutes
Rationale
C. Rationale: Bloodborne pathogens can be transmitted through the sclera of the eye. Therefore, the eye must be decontaminated after exposure. To do this, irrigate the eye with a normal saline solution for 20 minutes. Healthcare institutions must have eye washing stations available throughout the workplace for use in these situations.
Question
Blood splattered into your eye while tending to a patient with a gunshot wound. What should you do next?
a. Disinfect your eye with an alcohol-based solution
b. Apply tobramycin eye drops
c. Irrigate the eye with a normal saline solution for 20 minutes
d. Bloodborne pathogens are not transmitted through the eye, so no further action is needed
Answer
c. Irrigate the eye with a normal saline solution for 20 minutes
Rationale
D. Rationale: Following an exposure, the exposed person should wash the area thoroughly and follow the workplace’s policies on how to report and seek follow-up care.
Question
If you are exposed to a body fluid or blood, you should:
a. Wash the area thoroughly
b. Wait until the next business day to file a report if after hours
c. Follow your workplace’s policies
d. Both A and C
Answer
d. Both A and C
Rationale
A. Rationale: After an exposure to someone’s body fluids, the most important next step is thorough cleaning with soap and water. If the eyes were exposed, they should be irrigated with normal saline or sterile water for 20 minutes. After washing, the employee should notify the employer and follow the workplace’s plans for follow-up care.
Question
If you are exposed to a contaminated material:
a. Wash the exposed area completely
b. Panic and yell for help
c. Obtain medical care when your shift is over
d. You do not need to fill out an incident report if you alert your supervisor
Answer
a. Wash the exposed area completely
Rationale
B. Rationale: OSHA Form 300 is used to document an exposure. It is a tool for the workplace to track events and find ways to mitigate future exposure risks.
Question
OSHA Form 300 allows workers to:
a. File for compensation following exposure
b. Document injuries or exposures occurring during work
c. Document their adherence to universal precautions
d. Anonymously document the workplace’s adherence to OSHA guidelines
Answer
b. Document injuries or exposures occurring during work
Rationale
C. Rationale: To properly decontaminate the eye, irrigate it with sterile water or normal saline solution for at least 20 minutes. Healthcare institutions must have eye washing stations strategically placed in high-risk areas.
Question
You tend to a colleague with blood splatter on her face and into her eye. You decide to decontaminate the eye with normal saline irrigation. The eye must be irrigated for at least:
a. 10 seconds
b. 15 minutes
c. 20 minutes
d. 30 seconds
Answer
c. 20 minutes