Being an EMT is scary!

[Emtint08]

Wow

Sounds costly...:blink:

I'm not nearly as paranoid as some that are posting in here; however, I'll be the first to admit of my OCD when it comes to the rig. I will wipe down the CPU, door handles, mic, window/lock buttons, radio, etc. I think cross-contamination is a huge problem that people often overlook. You'll also get a swift boot the to butt if you try and get inside the cabin with your gloves still on.

Thats very thorough. And I am sure your partners and patients would feel very appreciative of that. I totally get it now, after having worked both the rig and ER. But it does seem some people in the ER, especially those who have been around a while, are getting too complacent with this stuff, and THAT scares me. I used to have a partner who was more than OCD. After every call he would bleach and Virex the heck out of the unit to the point where I wasnt allowed to open the door to get into the unit. It was BIZARRE. Thorough, but Bizarre. I am surprised I wasnt transported to the ER myself, with the fumes and chemicals floating around. My other partners would get kind of rude with him and joke around with him. Evidentally he was not usually this germaphobic, until an infected individual touched him once, and that freaked him out. He went the whole other direction on the subject. There has got to be a happy medium.

 

[RESQ_5_1]

I use BSI and universal precautions at all times. However, knowing the world is not a sterile environment, and knowing that attempting to completely sterilize the world is impossible I do what I can to protect myself and my patients. Coming into contact with microorganisms is inevitable. And as far as the fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, I'm sure worse things have come into contact with those than EMS workers. I wash my uniform with my other clothes. If I've already come into contact with something, I'm sure I won't be able to clean every surface I have contacted until I can decontaminate my uniform. Or, even my boots for that matter. I have handled many MRSA patients. And, 90% of those I found out were MRSA+ AFTER bringing them to the receiving facility.

I wash my hands after using the washroom (yes, even off duty). I wash my hands after pt contact. Even if that means seconds prior to using the washroom and then washing them again. I wash my fruits and vegetables before I prepare them (as recommended by both the store I bought them from, and the grocer who sold them).

Unless you live in a bubble of sterility at home, YOU are going to contaminate everything you touch. After you have completely cleaned and sterilized your rig, how do you respond to calls? do you don full isolation and sterile gloves? If not, you are contaminating surfaces. Were you wearing a sterile uniform, gloves, and boots when you deconned your rig? If not, you were contaminating right after you cleaned it.

As Rid said, be educated. Be cautious. Use your BSI and hand washing. There is absolutely NO WAY your rig is completely microorganism free. And, your chances of being infected by said organisms is greatly decreased by using UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS. I have worked in the Healthcare feild for about 12 of the last 15 years. And I have NEVER had so much as a cold from any pt I've contacted.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

all my friends who I graduated from EMT class are all paranoid about the same issue I am paranoid about right now.

Jesus H., what kind of EMT class did you attend?

 

[blynn]

all my friends who I graduated from EMT class are all paranoid about the same issue I am paranoid about right now.

I hope you and your class are not planning on going through medic school then..

Being cautious and smart about what we do in the field is okay...but the way you're talking, sounds like you may need to rethink your career field.

 

[mycrofft]

Hey think about it...

If every bacterium reproduces by fission, and like flatworkms each one knws what the others know, or they can at least understand each other....than it's a whole big conspiracy, starting with the first bug and growing onwards!!!! Run while you can! Run, I say!

Seriously, people with fear of heights don't take up skydiving, if you are afraid of microbes, you need to go somewhere else. Nothing personal, but go.:wacko:

 

[emtashleyb]

WOW. They warned us in class of what we would be exposed to. Its not just in ems go to a resturant anywhere there are germs. Get educated and always use bsi dont be so paranoid. If its already laid out in your fate your going to get something its going to happen. Im not saying be lax just dont go overboard no reasn to hyperventilate over it. Wash your hands with soap and water, clean off your equipment and dont put dirty gloves in your pockets when your done with them. (seen it happen before). I admit I do not wear my boots in my house and as soon as I close my front door I strip and take my clothes to the washer if Ive been bled, pooped, pissed, spit, vomited on just due to the fact that my kids will stand there and try to jump me like a pack of starving dogs as soon as I get over the baby gate. But there are germs everywhere we cant make the world germ free so get educated and quit freaking out about it if you cant get over the whole hermaphone thing maybe ems isnt for you

 

[Brooks416]

As said by most here hand washing with soap is the best. This brings back an old wives tale about having to eat a pound of dirt as a kid to stay healthy when you grow up. Hummmmm Builds a good immune system doesn't it.

 

[jochi1543]

I'm more afraid of getting stabbed or beat up than catching a disease, to be honest. Seems like a much more plausible outcome.

 

[Bosco578]

Code Brown

I'm more worried about my partner farting in the cab.....

 

[Sasha]

You mean they want you, as a health care professional, to touch and deal with SICK people?? Blasphemy!

 

[MedicMeJJB]

I have been a CNA for 6 years in and out of several ECF's and in recently in a hospital on a Med/Surg unit... not to mention being an EMT for 2 years.. I've had pt's with MRSA, VRE, C-DIFF, HIV, HEP, TB... I've never gotten anything for anyone thus far.. and geez we are probably all carriers now for working where we do, I even think my immune system has gotten stronger. Don't be so paranoid, wash your hands, wear your gloves, wash your hands again, ... don't touch your face.. easy enough

 

[Mongoose]

Exposure

Didn't they teach you in EMT school that HIV from needlesticks occurs 0.3% of the time? Get your Hep-B shot, that reduces risk by 90% I believe. If I am wrong someone please correct me. Hep-C risk by needlestick is less than 2%. I am unsure of the percentages for MRSA but typically exposure is blown out of proportion by the masses.

Just follow BSI precautions, wash your hands as often as possible. I carry wrap around safety goggles with me at all times, as well as a surgical mask that you can put on a spitter if need be.

As was mentioned before me, I'm more worried about getting shot, stabbed or run over than I am about picking up a gift that keeps on giving.

 

[VentMedic]

Hep-C risk by needle stick is less than 2%. I am unsure of the percentages for MRSA but typically exposure is blown out of proportion by the masses.

As for as needle sticks, it depends on how many sticks you do and your typical population although some healthcare workers can be Hep-C positive. Don't let your guard down when using sharp objects or around blood just because they don't fit the typical image of someone who is Hep-C. The Hep-C virus, unlike HIV which is very fragile outside of the host, can remain on a surface for several days or weeks if not properly cleaned.

You may have to worry a little more if there are still EMT(P)s that leave dirty needles laying around carelessly or if they stick them into the bench or stretcher mattress. That is one of my pet peeves when an engine medic (1 or 4 on a truck) needs sticking practice and hasn't gotten enough experience to also watchout for the safety of others. They may also be doing the stick in someone else's ambulance where they won't be responsible for cleaning up the mess. If a patient is also stuck multiple times, keep track of the needles. It is not uncommon for a few to leave their missed stick needles still in the patient or in the sheets and forget them to where someone in the ED gets stuck later.

MRSA, VRE and C-Diff are quite common. You are not going to read about an elderly person dying from a staph infection in the newspaper like you would a young person because old people are not news worthy and just "routine nothing calls" to some in EMS. However, just like you are concerned about being stabbed or shot, immunosuppressed and elderly patients have that same fear of getting sick from one of these bacterias or viruses which can also kill them. You must practice good BSI and infection control to protect them as well as yourself.

You would be surprised as how easily and how deadly even a flu virus is to the elderly or immunosuppressed (includes chemo) population. If you are working sick, keep everything you touch in the patient area clean and wear a mask when you are near the patient.

Of course, MRSA, VRE and C-Diff are not just for the old and sickly. Some young healthcare workers are carriers of MRSA. They may need to be treated and that is then when the C-Diff gets them after the heavy antibiotic therapy.

So essentially, you (and the patients) probably have more to worry about from your own co-workers if they lack safe stick practices and haven't bothered to learn about infection control.

 

[sixmaybemore]

Jesus H., what kind of EMT class did you attend?

Well, you know, I have to say that having something in theory and then in practice - it's different. It's new. If you've not worked in the medical field before, then this IS a new and scary experience. It can be overwhelming. And you know what? That's okay. It's okay to give yourself time to get used to all the "rules" of how to keep yourself safe from things a lot of people aren't exposed to on a daily basis.

To the OP - it's okay. You'll get used to the precautions, and you won't be as scared (well, either that or it becomes a signal that this isn't the field for you).

 

[rhan101277]

Well you are going to die one day, might as well go out with a bad disease.

Joking aside, just be careful. Don't give less pt. care because you are scared of contact.

 

[jazminestar]

ha tonight we did a tx: of a lady back to a snf, and the RN at the hospital was like 'okay guys, she has mrsa purcations' i said what kind??? she said in the ulcer aka bed sore on her butt.........i was like 'so basically if i keep my hands off of her butt should be cool right??' then we giggled about it and moved on..........

a friend of mine who works at another company down here in san diego, is super dooper paranoid about everything it seems, and he's thinking he that he might have to reconsider being in this field........

i think everyone has pretty much said all you can do, stay educated, wear your gloves, be aware of cross contamination and don't go kissing your pt's or rubbing your bare hands all over there sores or play with the urine or feces and you should be cool