Before we answer this question, it would be desirable to first give you some information concerning bloodborne pathogens, due to the fact that a lot of people do not even know what this term represents.
They are microorganisms that can be seen in our blood and they are the main causes for some illnesses, such as, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV) as well as hepatitis C (HCV).
Aside from protecting their workers, many companies have decided to perform this training to also make sure that their patients are not at risk of contracting any of these diseases. Unfortunately, it frequently occurs that non hospital healthcare employees do not follow any of these instructions, which can lead to some serious risks.
What Does This Course Include?
This training is very beneficial for all the people who are working with blood or any other infectious materials. Further, it helps them decrease any risk by:
- Incorporating engineering controls that involve needles, as well as sharps disposal containers
- Being prudent and cautious which means that they’ll be seeing all body and blood fluids as potentially infectious
- Following various safe work practices
- Utilizing their own protective equipment.
Besides all these important steps, it is also crucial to implement different control strategies because they are a great tool when it comes to preventing various infections. Each person must be prepared for every type of situation regarding this topic.
More importantly, in case something hazardous occurs (for instance, exposure to bloodborne pathogens), everyone who works at a certain institution must be familiar with the instructions concerning the procedures that should be followed.
Who Needs To Have This Training?
It is easy to conclude who is obligated to go through this process. As stated previously, this is a course that is intended to protect employees who are often exposed to any infectious materials and blood.
That’s why every employer must take this seriously if he/she wants to keep the situation under control. Fortunately, these tests are not expensive and many websites offer them at an affordable price. If you wish to protect your workers, click here to get more info about the price. Proper training can save lives.
Now:
This is the list of people who should be prioritized when it comes to attending this course. It includes:
- Physician
- Paramedic
- Teacher
- Healthcare employee
- Tattoo artist
- Policeman
- School staff
- Fireman
- Janitorial staff
- Emergency responder
- Medical student
- Nurse
Why Them?
Although some of these jobs do not require working at a health care institution, like being a tattoo artist for example, all of them are at risk of a certain exposure, that’s why these people must attend this training.
For instance, those individuals whose work requires cleaning different surfaces must have it because it frequently happens that these surfaces contain blood or any other potentially dangerous and infectious.
Not to mention even riskier jobs, such as those who work in a medical and health care field, that is dentists, nurses, doctors, and others. They are even at greater risk and are oftentimes exposed to numerous girded situations.
What Does It Look Like?
You are probably wondering whether this is something that is going to take a lot of your time. The good news is – it won’t. Also, another good thing about it is that you can determine your own pace and if you are not able to do it all at once, you can have more than one session.
Now, when it comes to the final test, it will approximately take fifteen minutes of your time to finish everything without having any tension. In case you do not pass it, don’t worry! You can retake as many times as possible without being charged.
The whole point of having this course is to understand every single segment of it because this is something that is going to benefit you at your workplace. That’s why you should focus on comprehending everything and not worry about the outcome right away because it can distract you from giving your all.
Now, when it comes to this training, it’s important for every employer to know that it needs to be conducted as soon as they hire someone and repeated whenever a new or altered procedure or duty comes up that could potentially increase the employee’s risk of occupational exposure.
The Importance Of Having Bloodborne Pathogen Training
As stated above, every employer has a responsibility to take care of both their patients and workers, and they are obligated to determine who must take this course. They can easily identify it by assessing whether someone’s task includes occupational exposure. If they conduct this, they will always be able to keep things under control.