New Resource: CDC Project Firstline Infection Control Micro-Learns: Blood!

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CDC Project Firstline knows that healthcare workers are short on time, but this shouldn’t limit access to practical and valuable infection control training.

That’s why CDC Project Firstline developed Infection Control Micro-Learns – a series of guided infection control discussions that can be easily incorporated into team meetings or huddles facilitated by an experienced team member with infection control expertise.

These short and easy-to-understand learning opportunities can help healthcare workers recognize and minimize infection control risks to protect themselves, coworkers, and patients from infectious diseases.

Let’s explore the Infection Control Micro-Learn on blood!

What to Do When You See Blood

As a healthcare worker, you will work with a variety of patients in many different clinical settings and may encounter situations where blood is present.

You should always assume blood is infectious.

Any germs that may be present in blood can spread when infected blood is allowed entry into another body, like from a needlestick, through breaks or cracks in the skin, or by splashes or sprays to the eyes, nose, or mouth. Therefore, we must prevent these types of scenarios from happening.

Because we always assume blood is infectious, infection control actions for blood focus on preventing infected blood from entering the body and limiting its spread in the environment and between people.

For example, you should never touch blood without gloves on. Don’t forget to clean your hands after you take the gloves off!

If you’re handling sharps, dispose of them safely in the sharps container.

If you’re approaching an area where a procedure was done, be careful handling drapes, linens, or other items that might be hiding a needle or other used sharps.

Make sure you know where the sharps containers are located, and what to do and whom to call if there is an exposure. If you have any questions, ask your supervisor!

Explore the Infection Control Micro-Learn on blood, including the discussion guide and visual job aid!

What Can You Do to Promote Infection Control in Your Healthcare Setting?

Help keep yourself, your colleagues, and your patients safe from infectious disease threats, such as bloodborne germs, by building on your infection control knowledge!

To show your dedication, sign this pledge to complete an infection control training or activity through CDC’s Project Firstline!

pLedge to take the training!

You can also share infection control training opportunities with healthcare colleagues via LinkedIn with our Project Firstline social media toolkit.

use the toolkit!

You can access more information about infection prevention and control in healthcare by visiting resources from CDC Project Firstline.

Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio is working with the National Hispanic Medical Association to bring Project Firstline infection control educational content to healthcare workers, so they are equipped with the knowledge they need to protect themselves, their facilities, and their patients (Latinos and all communities) from infectious disease threats in healthcare settings.

Check out some of the articles from this partnership:

• What is Project Firstline?
• What is the Goal of Infection Prevention and Control in Healthcare Settings?
• What’s a Virus?
• What is Ventilation and Why Does It Matter?
• Contact Time: What is It and How Does it Impact Infection Control?
• The Surprising Difference Between Cleaning and Disinfection
• What’s a Respiratory Droplet and Why Does It Matter?
• We Need to Talk about Hand Hygiene Again
• Why are Gowns, Gloves, and Eye Protection Recommended for COVID-19?

Check out some of the Latino healthcare workers who are heroes for infection control:

• Anna Valdez: Tackling Infection Control with Education from Classroom to Clinic
• Wanda Montalvo: Preventing Infections in Community Health Centers, Latino Communities
• Ricardo Correa: Endocrinologist and Infection Control Leader for the Latino Community

Learn More about Project Firstline!

Editor’s Note: This article is part of a collaboration between Salud America!, the National Hispanic Medical Association, and the CDC’s Project Firstline. To find resources training materials, and other tools to bolster knowledge and practice of infection control, visit Project Firstline and view Salud America!’s infection control content.