Personal Protection For Emergency Technicians
The use of personal protective gear is not only mandatory in some departments but is necessary of the safety of the individual EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). The personal protective equipment gives the EMT a barrier between them and the infections and injuries that can occur. Certain types of personal protective gear can give you a layer of protection against some very nasty chemicals. Each Emergency Medical Technician has been thoroughly trained in the use of universal precautions and how to use their personal protection gear properly. Listed below are a few of those items that are so essential.
The first and easiest precaution to take is simple hand washing. Special hand cleaners are designed to kill germs that regular soap and water can not. After each call, it is necessary to wash your hands thoroughly to prevent the spread of germs from the patient to the technician or others. When stocking supplies in a medical bag whether for the service or for their own personal use, adding a bottle of antibacterial hand cleanser that uses no water and one that does if water is available is not a bad idea. Besides the hand washing routine the Emergency Medical Technician should institute, gloves are a sure barrier against those nasty germs. There are three major types of gloves to choose from and named so for the material they are made of. They are nitrile, vinyl, and latex. Certain individuals find they have an allergic reaction to latex products so the other options might prove to be a better choice for them.
For those germs and infections that travel through the air, there are special face masks and CPR masks available. When coming in contact with large amounts of blood or body fluid, it is best to place a face mask between you and the life threatening pathogens (germs) in it. The masks are there to stop any spray from getting on the skin and to stop the fluids from entering the mouth, nose, and eyes which will be a sure and direct route for the infection to take up residence in the body. CPR masks provide a barrier between the unconscious victims mouth and nose and the Emergency Medical Technician working on them. Electronic and manual equipment exists so that no human to human contact occurs but in some cases the EMT arrives before the equipment does. In those cases preparation is key and a CPR mask is needed. Safety glasses also provide some protection from the germs and infections and can ensure that objects stay outside the eye where they belong.
Much other protective gear exists to help protect the individual from the hazards out there but these are some of the most important items used today. Complete body coverage is also used to prevent injuries from occurring in more dangerous situations. For all calls the Emergency Medical Technician can encounter, the gloves, hand washing habits, masks, and eye protection are most essential. Those Emergency Medical Technicians who follow these simple precautions are around to make a difference in many lives over the course of their service to the community. It is in being safe that help is given best and by utilizing these simple items, it can be given safely to each and every individual.
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