Hazardous Material Handling and Disposition (Chemo, Radioactive) for Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR)
Included In This Lesson
Outline
Hazardous Material Handling and Disposition (Chemo, Radioactive)
Guidelines:
- Hazardous material = environmental harm
- PPE is key!
- Use PPE to prevent exposure to hazardous materials
- Contain wastes properly per EPA guidelines
- Refer to safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals information
Considerations:
- The health care organization must provide PPE and education for employees who handle chemicals in the workplace
- PPE includes gowns, gloves, masks, and eye protection
- Hand hygiene:
- Before contact
- Immediately after gloves are removed
- Between patient contacts
- When otherwise indicated to avoid transfer of microorganisms to other patients or environments
- Hazardous Material containers should be:
- labeled or color coded
- warning labels affixed to containers of
Nurse’s role:
- PPE is key!
- Use PPE appropriately!
- Select gown and mask type according to the task and degree of exposure
- Gown should fully cover torso from neck to knees and arms to the end of wrists and wrap around back
- Maintain coverage of the gown cuff by the glove
- Clean, non sterile gowns should be worn any time activities are likely to generate sprays or splashes
- Gloves should be worn when handling hazardous materials
- Mask, eye protection, face shields should be worn any time activities are likely to generate sprays or splashes
- Know where to go for more information
- OSHA
- EPA
- CDC
- AORN
Pitfalls:
- Perioperative nurses frequently fail to use PPE correctly
- High risk during PPE removal
- Self-contamination with potential pathogens or harmful chemicals
- Remove PPE in a sequence that prevents contamination
- After removal, discard and perform hand hygiene
Examples:
- Professional and Regulatory Standards:
- Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
- Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC)
- American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
- ASTM International Standards
- The level of protection provided by isolation or surgical gown may be on product label as ANSI/AAMI PB70 barrier performance levels and associated test methods. Higher barrier levels provide more protection to the wearer
- The level of protection provided by the surgical mask may be determined by the ASTM barrier level as stated on the product label, with higher barrier levels providing more protection
- APIC Guidelines for infection control practice
- AORN Guidelines for perioperative nursing practice
Linchpins (Key Points):
- PPE is key
- EPA guidelines for waste disposal, environmental safety
- OSHA Universal precautions, worker safety
- CDC Standard precautions, patient safety
Transcript
References
- Rothrock, J. (2019). Alexander’s Care of the Patient in Surgery (16th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.
- Association of perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN): Guideline Essentials (website), 2022, https://www.aorn.org/guidelines-resources/guidelines-for-perioperative practice/guideline-essentials
NCLEX
Concepts Covered:
- Circulatory System
- Emergency Care of the Cardiac Patient
- Cardiac Disorders
- Cardiovascular
- Shock
- Shock
- Disorders of the Posterior Pituitary Gland
- Endocrine
- Disorders of Pancreas
- Disorders of the Thyroid & Parathyroid Glands
- Hematology
- Gastrointestinal
- Upper GI Disorders
- Liver & Gallbladder Disorders
- Newborn Complications
- Lower GI Disorders
- Multisystem
- Neurological
- Nervous System
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Brain
- Renal
- Respiratory
- Urinary System
- Respiratory System
- Noninfectious Respiratory Disorder
- Test Taking Strategies
- Note Taking
- Basics of NCLEX
- Prefixes
- Suffixes
- Medication Administration
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Respiratory Disorders
- Pregnancy Risks
- Labor Complications
- Hematologic Disorders
- Fundamentals of Emergency Nursing
- Factors Influencing Community Health
- Delegation
- Perioperative Nursing Roles
- EENT Disorders
- Basics of Chemistry
- Adult
- Emergency Care of the Neurological Patient
- Acute & Chronic Renal Disorders
- Emergency Care of the Respiratory Patient
- Respiratory Emergencies
- Studying
- Substance Abuse Disorders
- Disorders of the Adrenal Gland
- Behavior
- Documentation and Communication
- Preoperative Nursing
- Endocrine System
- Legal and Ethical Issues
- Communication
- Understanding Society
- Immunological Disorders
- Infectious Disease Disorders
- Oncology Disorders
- Female Reproductive Disorders
- Fetal Development
- Terminology
- Anxiety Disorders
- Cognitive Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Trauma
- Intraoperative Nursing
- Tissues and Glands
- Vascular Disorders
- Renal Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Prenatal Concepts
- Microbiology
- Male Reproductive Disorders
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Infectious Respiratory Disorder
- Depressive Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Psychotic Disorders
- Trauma-Stress Disorders
- Peripheral Nervous System Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Neurologic and Cognitive Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Newborn Care
- Basics of Mathematics
- Statistics
- Labor and Delivery
- Proteins
- Emergency Care of the Trauma Patient
- Hematologic System
- Hematologic Disorders
- Developmental Considerations
- Skeletal System
- Digestive System
- Urinary Disorders
- Postpartum Care
- Basic
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Bipolar Disorders
- Metabolism
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- Concepts of Population Health
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- EENT Disorders
- Postpartum Complications
- Basics of Human Biology
- Postoperative Nursing
- Neurological Emergencies
- Prioritization
- Disorders of Thermoregulation
- Writing
- Community Health Overview
- Dosage Calculations
- Neurological Trauma
- Concepts of Mental Health
- Health & Stress
- Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
- Childhood Growth and Development
- Prenatal and Neonatal Growth and Development
- Concepts of Pharmacology
- Integumentary Important Points
- Emotions and Motivation
- Renal and Urinary Disorders
- Developmental Theories
- Reproductive System
- Adulthood Growth and Development
- Psychological Emergencies
- Growth & Development
- Basics of Sociology
- Somatoform Disorders
- Reading
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- Oncologic Disorders
- Med Term Basic
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- Central Nervous System Disorders – Spinal Cord
- Muscular System
- Neonatal
- Learning Pharmacology
- Pediatric
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- State of Consciousness
- Sensory System