I have no EMS training at this point, but one thing that I have always wondered about is how often do EMS personnel catch an illness from a patient? It's something that has always made me think twice about getting into the field, but then I figure that you must take precautions and maybe I'm overreacting.
fear of catching illness from patient
- Thread starter NJnewbie
- Start date
If one is healthy with healthy functions and a healthy idea of what could happen without the good habits we must to have when caring for patients, there is little change of contracting anything more than the occasional cold or flu virus. And those usually come on compliments of a coworker :< (
On the not perfect side; over the last 15 years, there have been 2 cases of TB exposure from patient to EMT resulting in treatment in this area. Both are just fine today.
The reason we use Body Substance Isolation and Personal Protective Equipment is mainly to protect ourselves, and minimize disease transmission between patients. In the US, OHSA does a good job at over protecting us, that is, if we follow protocols, and take advantage of resources provided. Unprotected Exposures are rare, but sometimes do happen. With prophylaxis and prompt care, the chance of testing positive to nasties is very low.
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Shishkabob
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The fun REALLY starts when you deal with blood-borne pathogens from needle sticks...
LondonMedic
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Aren't the punters allegedly more likely to catch the lurgies from us? 
h34r:
h34r:Aren't the punters allegedly more likely to catch the lurgies from us?
:blink:
Shishkabob
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Translation:
Aren't those patients more likely to get sick because of us? (Probably in reference to the sheer amount of hospital-gained diseases)
MagicTyler
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I think everyone I work with has MERSA...
adamjh3
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My company's been on contract with a patient that has MRSA, we transport him daily. No one's gotten it yet. It's just a matter of following your training and all appropriate BSI precautions. The tools are there to keep you safe provided you utilize them correctly.
jjesusfreak01
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My father has harbored an external MRSA infection once or twice, and it's bad because his body is not the best at fighting it off, so for that time when he had it minor skin breaks could turn nasty. I on the other hand, probably harbor all sorts of nasty things but I never get infections regardless of how many times I get cut, scraped, etc. I suppose it is important to remember that your patient may be at more risk from you than you are from your patient.
LondonMedic
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Infection or just colonisation?
lightsandsirens5
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That is all I've ever gotten. And like 99 said, it has always, so far as I know, been from my partner. To my knowledge, I have not been infected with anything from my pt. It would seem, that if you use proper BSI based on the pts condition, you won't catch anything. You don't need to mask and gown up for everyone, but if you do for those pts that require it, you'll be fine.
London Medic: I have no idea what you are trying to say up several posts.
Linuss: Thanks for the translation.
London: Punter? What the heck? Do they call them that in the hospital too?
You Brits. Lol!
jjesusfreak01
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Colonization. He would get infections when he had something break the skin, like a scratch or bug bite. They put him on a de-colonization regimen, where he had to use a special antibiotic bodywash and a few other things. It didn't look like a lot of fun.
medichopeful
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