Course Summary

All members of the health team are at risk of exposure to the hazards of infectious disease transmission through needle sticks or sharps injury, splash contact, and exposure to body fluids. Patients and visitors can also be exposed to bacterial and viral disease transmission. Hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) account for the greatest number of exposures in healthcare settings. Important principles of infectious disease control and prevention, and the management of accidental exposure outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) relative to healthcare organizations and employees, patients, and the community, and the management of sepsis are discussed.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
• Acquired Infectious Diseases in Healthcare
• OSHA: Occupational Exposure and Infection Risk
  • HIV and Risk of Infection
  • HBV and HCV Risk of Infection
  • Needlestick Injuries and Other Exposures
  • OSHA Blood-Borne Pathogens Standard
• Employer and Employee Compliance to Standard Prevention
  • CDC Guideline for Isolation Precautions
• Managing Exposures to Bloodborne Pathogens
  • Management and Reporting of an Initial Exposure
  • Hepatitis B Post-Exposure
  • Hepatitis C Post-Exposure
  • HIV Post-Exposure and Recommended Therapy
• Arterial/Venous Catheterization in the Intensive Care Unit
  • Pulmonary Artery Catheterization
• Management of Sepsis
  • Glucose Control
  • Renal Replacement and Bicarbonate Therapy
  • Deep Vein Thrombosis Prophylaxis
  • Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis
• Infection Prevention and Patients’ Experiences
• Case Study: Health Employee Exposure
• Summary

Authors

Noah H. Carpenter, MD

Dr. Noah Carpenter is a Thoracic and Peripheral Vascular Surgeon. He completed his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and medical school and training at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Carpenter completed surgical residency and fellowship at the University of Edmonton and Affiliated Hospitals in Edmonton, Alberta, and an additional Adult Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery fellowship at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He has specialized in microsurgical techniques, vascular endoscopy, laser and laparoscopic surgery in Brandon, Manitoba and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and in Colorado, Texas, and California. Dr. Carpenter has an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Calgary, and was appointed a Citizen Ambassador to China, and has served as a member of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, the Canadian College of Health Service Executives, the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories, Canada Science Council, and the International Society of Endovascular Surgeons, among others. He has been an inspiration to youth, motivating them to understand the importance of achieving higher education.