|Name | |

Consider the scenario outlined below and answer the questions in the spaces provided. Hand in your completed work to your trainer.

Your work at a busy hospital requires you to handle specimens every day.

Part 1

Over the course of a year, the following incidents occur. Now you must decide, for each:

• Was this a risk?

• If so, why?

• What was your best option in responding to the situation?

When you pick up a saliva sample, you notice the label on the jar has a stain on it and is slightly damp.

|Risk? |Cross-contamination, risk of infection through droplets, unsterile sample |
|Why? |The wet area could be infectious through the droplets |
|Action |Place it in a bag, label the bag and report the findings. Double bag the specimen. |

When you pick up a urine sample, it appears clean, properly prepared and appropriately labelled, but the jar is not quite full and there appears to be a small amount of dried residue on the bench beside it.

|Risk? |Cross infection of body fluids |
|Why? |The work bench is soiled |
|Action |Seal the jar, clean the jar and the bench, put the jar in a bag. |

You accidentally cut your hand during your working day, but the cut is not bad enough to need medical attention and you are able to continue working.

|Risk? |Cross contamination of body fluid, high chance of infection. |
|Why? |It’s an open wound allowing bacteria to enter easily. |
|Action |Report the incident, clean the wound and bandage or use a band aid. |

Six urine specimens are waiting to be picked up from one ward. Five of the six jars are in sealed bags, but the sixth is simply in a clean jar, with the label in a bag that is wrapped around the jar.

|Risk? |Cross contamination, unlabeled bag |
|Why? |The bag is secure |
|Action |Place the jar in a bag, label and then place into another bag. |

When handling a syringe, you spill some blood on your protective gown. You look carefully at your hands and arms and feel confident none has contacted your skin.

|Risk? |Cross contamination of body fluid |
|Why? |Some of the blood may have gotten onto my skin or clothing. |
|Action |Wear correct PPE, change gown and wash hands. |

A co-worker has taken a blood sample from a patient with suspected CJD. You are asked to take the sample to the laboratory for testing. The sample is in a jar inside a sealed container and has been appropriately labelled.

|Risk? |No risk |
|Why? |----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|Action |----------------------------------------------------------------------- |

A fungal specimen has been collected and put into a sealed, labelled bag. When you collect it from a consulting room to take it to the laboratory, you notice the instrument used to take the specimen is sitting on the bench next to the bag. There appears to be a dried residue on the instrument.

|Risk? |Not sure what the specimen is. Possibly infectious, possible cross contamination |
|Why? |Unknown residue found on table |
|Action |Sterilise the equipment or dispose it |

Part 2

In the tasks that involve handling specimens, when are you likely to need a disinfectant hand wash? Why?

|Before and after having contact with the specimens, preventing cross contamination and infection risks. |
| |

You have been asked to dispose of the day’s specimens after testing, but your department has several waste containers for different types of waste. What might those containers be for and how can you tell them apart?

|Colour of the containers, read the labels, may be sharps container, may be infectious bag, bio hazards. |
| |

Because of your need for frequent hand washing, you have been told to take good care of your hands. What measures might you take?

|Moisturise the skin with a non water based cream. |
| |