Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE)

Transcription

1 Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE) Personal Protective Equipment policy Version 3.0 Date approved: August 2017 Approved by: The Board Review due: August 2020 Policy will be updated as required in response to a change in national policy or evidence-based guideline. Page 1 of 5

2 Contents Section Topic Page No 1 Personal Protective Equipment Required Protocol 5 Page 2 of 5

3 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 1. Equipment The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is essential for health and safety. The benefit of wearing PPE is twofold, offering protection to both patients and those caring for them. It is important that all staff understand the principles of personal protection and that compliance is part of their contracts. Torn, punctured or otherwise damaged PPE should not be used and should be removed immediately (safety permitting) if this occurs during a procedure. Within the Dental Education Facilities a supply of PPE is available at each dental chair and each lobby/corridor material mixing area. PSDE will hold a stock of standard issue PPE. Special items will be provided for staff and students on the production of Occupational Health advice. 1.1 Apron - Single Use Aprons should be used as a single use item and disposed of as clinical waste. Plastic aprons should be changed at the completion of each procedure. Aprons should never be worn outside the dental bay/clinic 1.2 Face Mask Single Use Regardless of the type of eye protection chosen, when treating patients, a face mask must always be worn. The mask must be worn securely over the nose and mouth, if tie on, the lower ties must be tied to prevent the mask from falling away from the face. Masks must be changed after every patient and changed mid treatment if they become damp. Masks should never be worn outside the dental bay/clinic. 1.3 Eye Protection Effective eye protection is essential. Eye protection should be worn by all clinical staff and patients during treatments in order to protect themselves against foreign bodies, splatter and aerosols that may arise during a clinical procedure e.g. especially during scaling (manual or ultrasonic), the use of rotary instruments, and cutting of wires. Eye protection should have side protection. Many modern prescription glasses have small lenses, which make them unsuitable for the use of eye protection. Protective goggles can be worn over spectacles. Page 3 of 5

4 There are a number of options of eye protection: Goggles - disinfected between patients. A correctly worn face mask must be used in addition. Loupes set in protective spectacles/goggles - if loupes are used they must be set within spectacles or goggles which provide wrap around and protect the eyes effectively. A correctly worn face mask must be used in addition. Combined face shield and mask (single use) - this is an expensive option which may be chosen only by a student acting in the role of dentist. When acting as dental nurse another option must be chosen. The mask must be worn correctly over the nose to keep the face shield high, fully protect the face and prevent the shield tipping forward Full face shield - the shield must be placed parallel with the front of the face to prevent a large gap forming between the shield and the lower face. A face mask must also be worn, over the nose and mouth, to ensure protection of the face in the event of the shield moving away from the lower face. 1.4 Gloves Single Use Gloves must be worn for all clinical procedures and treated as single use, so a new pair of gloves must be used for each patient. Hand hygiene should be carried out before donning gloves, immediately after removal and disposal of gloves, and between every change of gloves is completed. Gloves should be put on immediately before contact with the patient and removed as soon as clinical treatment is finished. Used gloves must be disposed of as clinical waste. It is important that gloves fit properly. All gloves provided on the clinics are latex free. Gloves should never be worn outside the dental bay/clinic. Page 4 of 5

5 2. Protocol Donning and removal of PPE 2.1 Donning (EMAG Eye protection, mask, apron, gloves) Eye protection/mask, apron and gloves Gloves donned last, after hygienic hand wash. 2.2 Removal (GAME - Gloves, apron, mask, eye protection) Gloves off first, so these are always the last PPE item on and first item off; then your apron by untying it at the back where there should be no contamination; then mask, again from the back; and lastly eye protection by grasping the extension behind the ear and removing forwards. This complies with BDA A12 (Aug 2011). Page 5 of 5