The first aid room is a room in a building or an establishment to which someone who is injured or taken ill on the premises can be taken to for the acquisition of first aid. The injured or ill person stays there as he/ she awaits the arrival of professional emergency medical services or the ambulance, especially in cases where the casualty is in a serious condition. However, in some instances, the first aid provided is enough intervention so there may not be a need to contact the medical team. Also known as a medical room, it is usually found in various workplaces, such as a school, factory, sports venue or airport. One must note that this is where the initial treatment is done so it is required for the room to be kept safe and clean at all times so as to provide effective first aid treatment to the injured or ill person. The following are some standard procedures for infection control in the first aid room.
First, practicing proper hygiene is a good way to prevent infection in the first aid room. The first aider must ensure that appropriate personal protective equipment is used, such as a face shield, gloves, etc. As it follows, he/ she should wear disposable gloves during treatment procedures. He/ she must wash hands before and after giving first aid treatment. Also, remember to cover skin cuts or abrasions with waterproof dressings. It is also advisable not to eat, drink or smoke in a first aid area. Every person in the area should wash hands after using toilet.
Secondly, proper care of spillages of blood or other bodily fluids is important in infection control. This can be done by wearing disposable gloves when cleaning up spilt body fluids. One must attend to spillages without delay and use absorbent material to absorb the bulk of spilt fluids. As a last step, the disposal of spilt body fluids should be done by using a leak-proof, sealed waste bag.
Next, is the control from exposure to blood or bodily fluids. The first thing to do is to wash blood away from the area of skin penetration with soap and water. If eyes are contaminated, rinse with tap water or saline. If blood gets in mouth, spit it out then rinse with water repeatedly. After that, the first aider must refer the casualty being treated for medical assessment. The exposed casualty must seek medical treatment. Finally, the first aider must report the incident to the management while maintaining confidentiality regarding the treatment and exposure of the particular casualty.
Lastly, doing proper cleaning is an effective way to maintain infection control. Whenever possible, one can use single-use disposable sterile items. Also, soiled linen should be laundered separately from other laundry items. Remember to clean and disinfect all soiled items and to sterilize non-disposable items of equipment. Every person in the area should dispose sharps in an approved sharps container. Keep in mind to store instruments in a clean, dry environment and keep first aid room clean and free from non-essential items.