This program is designed for individuals who may be exposed to blood and body fluids during the performance of their work and who wish to gain a thorough understanding of blood-borne pathogens. Potential target audience includes lab technologists, lab assistants, nurses, emergency responders, paramedics/emergency medical technicians.
The primary objectives for the Blood-borne Pathogens course
are:
• to provide participants with the information required to recognize the hazards associated with occupational exposure to blood and body fluids
• become familiar with the steps to prevent exposure to blood and body fluids as well as the steps that should be taken following exposure to blood and body fluids
Course
Content:
The Advanced Blood-borne Pathogens Course consists of 6 modules. The outline for the course material is as follows:
Module 1: Introduction to Blood-borne Pathogens
Module 2: Viral Hepatitis and HBV Exposure
Module 3: Viral Hepatitis and HCV Exposure
Module 4: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Exposure
Module 5: Prevention of Blood-borne Pathogen Exposure
Module 6: Blood and Body Fluid Exposure Follow-up
Evaluation Process
At the end of each module, there is a test that each course participant must challenge and successfully complete with a passing grade before continuing to the next content module. Module tests are review and evaluation tools that assist in preparing the course participant for the formal timed examinations following completion of Modules 3 and 6, followed by a final exam. These exams consist of the following:
Tests (2) (Modules 1-3, and Modules 4-6
Final Exam (Modules 1-6)
** Pass mark for each examination is 80% **
Upon completion of the Advanced Blood-borne Pathogens Course the participant will be able to:
• Describe the hazards associated with exposure to blood and body fluids.
• Describe the most common blood-borne pathogens.
• Describe methods and protocols to prevent exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
• Describe the appropriate steps that should be taken following exposure to blood and body fluids.
Objectives:
Module 1:
Introduction to Blood-borne Pathogens
• Define the term pathogen.
• Define the term blood-borne.
• Be familiar with the main groups of pathogens.
• Define the three most common occupationally acquired blood-borne pathogens.
• Define and differentiate the terms exposure and infection.
• Describe what constitutes significant exposure.
• Define occupational exposure.
• Describe the routes by which BBP can enter the body.
• Define percutaneous.
• Describe mucous-membranes.
• Define prophylactic.
• Define the term hepatitis.
• Describe the individuals most at risk of acquiring infection involving blood-borne pathogens.
• Discuss the procedures associated with the highest risk of BBP transmission.
• Discuss the relevance of injection practices with respect to BBP transmission.
• Be familiar with the types of body fluids known to transmit or have the potential to transmit blood-borne pathogens.
• Be familiar with the types of body fluids not associated with blood-borne transmission.
• Discuss the importance of vaccine with respect to HBV, HCV and HIV.
• Be familiar with factors that affect risk of transmission and infection following exposure.
• Describe the procedures most at risk for occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogen.
• Be familiar with factors that affect the risk of transmission and infection following exposure.
Module 2:
Viral Hepatitis and HBV Exposure
• Describe the routes of transmission associated with HBV infection.
• Describe the effect of HBV on the liver.
• Describe the incubation period for HBV infection.
• Define the term carrier.
• Describe the risk of developing chronic HBV infection.
• Describe the risk of developing HBV infection following percutaneous injury.
• Be familiar with the prevalence of HBV infection.
• Describe the symptoms and clinical presentation associated with HBV infection.
• Describe the complications associated with HBV infection.
• Be familiar with the treatments for acute and chronic hepatitis.
• Describe the role of prophylactic treatment with respect to prevention of HBV infection following exposure to blood or body fluids.
• Describe safety measures associated with prevention of HBV exposure.
• Define the risk of developing HBV infection following exposure.
• Describe safety measures associated with prevention of HBV infection following exposure.
• Define fulminant hepatitis and cirrhosis.
• Describe the role of immunization with respect to prevention of HBV infection.
• Discuss the role of re-immunization and booster shots following initial HBV. immunization.
• Describe the role of immunity testing following HBV exposure.
• Describe the efficacy of immunization with respect to immune response.
Module 3:
Viral Hepatitis and HCV Exposure
• Describe the routes of transmission for HCV exposure/infection.
• Describe the effect of HCV on the liver.
• State the prevalence of HCV infection in the population.
• Discuss the most common risk factors associated with HCV infection.
• Describe the role of donated blood or blood products in HCV transmission.
• Describe the role of hemodialysis in HCV transmission.
• What is the incubation period for HCV infection.
• Describe the symptoms and presentation of acute HCV infection.
• Describe the complications associated with chronic HCV infection.
• Define the risk of developing chronic HCV infection following acute infection.
• Describe the role of prophylactic treatment with respect to prevention of HCV.
• Define the risk of developing HCV infection following exposure.
• Describe the role of immunization with respect to prevention of HCV infection.
• Be familiar with the difficulties associated with HCV vaccine development.
• Be familiar with the treatment goal(s) for HCV.
• Be familiar with the two most common anti-viral agents used to treat chronic HCV infection, and common side-effects.
Module 4:
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Exposure
• Describe the routes of transmission associated with HIV infection.
• State the prevalence of HIV infection in the population.
• Describe the incubation period preceding seroconversion in individuals exposed to HIV.
• Describe the incubation period preceding symptoms of HIV infection.
• Describe the symptoms and presentation of acute HIV infection.
• Describe the complications associated with chronic HIV infection.
• Describe the risk of developing HIV infection following exposure.
• Describe the role of prophylactic treatment with respect to prevention of HIV infection following exposure to blood or body fluids.
• Describe safety measures associated with prevention of HIV exposure.
• Describe safety measures associated with prevention of HIV infection following exposure.
• Describe the role of immunization with respect to prevention of HIV infection.
• Be familiar with the treatment for HIV.
• Describe the role of prophylactic treatment following exposure to HIV.
• Describe the current role of immunization with respect to prevention of HIV infection.
• Be familiar with the differences between HIV screening tests and confirmatory tests, and with the problems associated with false-positive and false-negative results.
Module 5:
Prevention of Blood-borne Pathogen Exposure
• Describe the government regulations and workplace policies created to reduce occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
• Define Body Substance Isolation.
• Define and differentiate the terms Universal Precautions and Standard Precautions.
• Describe employer responsibilities in prevention of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
• Define employee responsibilities in prevention of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
• Describe the main issues targeted in the Blood-borne Pathogen Regulations.
• Describe practical methods to prevent needle-stick and sharps exposures.
• Describe the role of workplace Exposure Control Plans in preventing exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
• Describe the components that should be included in a workplace Exposure Control Plan.
Module 6:
Blood and Body Fluid Exposure Follow-up
• Describe the steps that should be performed following an exposure to blood or body fluids.
• Describe the role of the workplace Occupational Health department in blood and body fluid exposure follow-up.
• Describe the laboratory testing that may be appropriate following an occupational exposure to blood or body fluids.
• Describe the relative risk of infection following exposure to blood or body fluids from an individual who is positive for HBV, HCV, or HIV.
• Describe the factors and considerations that influence blood-borne pathogen infection following exposure to blood and body fluids from an individual who is positive for HBV, HCV, or HIV.
* PEP credit hours
assigned by the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory
Sciences (CSMLS)
Advanced Bloodborne Pathogens
0 CPS/ART credits 7 PEP hours
