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Difficulty: Very hardHandling Hazardous and Infectious Materials

A glass vacutainer tube containing a client's blood has accidentally dropped and shattered on the floor of the clinical unit. The nurse has retrieved the biological spill kit. Arrange the following actions in the correct sequence to safely manage this hazardous materials spill.

  1. 1Don appropriate personal protective equipment, including a gown, eye protection, and utility gloves.
  2. 2Use long-handled tongs or a mechanical device to safely retrieve the shattered glass fragments.
  3. 3Deposit the collected glass fragments directly into a rigid, puncture-resistant sharps container.
  4. 4Place absorbent pads or paper towels over the fluid spill to completely soak up the biological material.
  5. 5Apply a 1:10 sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solution to the contaminated surface and allow for the appropriate contact time.

Answer

The correct sequence is: 1) Don appropriate PPE, 2) Use tongs to retrieve the glass fragments, 3) Deposit the glass into a sharps container, 4) Place absorbent pads over the blood spill, 5) Apply a 1:10 sodium hypochlorite solution to the surface.
When managing a biohazardous spill involving broken glass, the nurse must prioritize personal safety by first donning appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The immediate physical hazard (broken glass) must be removed next using mechanical means, such as tongs, to prevent percutaneous injury. These sharps must be immediately secured in a puncture-resistant container. Once the sharps are safely removed, the organic material (blood) should be absorbed with pads or towels to prevent it from inactivating the cleaning agent. Finally, an appropriate chemical disinfectant, such as a 1:10 sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solution, is applied to the surface to destroy any remaining bloodborne pathogens.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Put on personal protective equipment (PPE).
The nurse is protected from bloodborne pathogens and potential physical injury.
Safety of the healthcare worker is the first priority before handling any hazardous material.
2
Pick up the broken glass with tongs or forceps.
The physical sharps hazard is safely removed from the spill without risking a percutaneous injury.
Glass fragments can puncture standard gloves; mechanical removal prevents direct contact with the sharps.
3
Discard the glass into a sharps container.
The broken glass is securely contained.
Puncture-resistant containers prevent subsequent injuries to environmental services or other staff members.
4
Absorb the remaining blood with paper towels or absorbent pads.
The bulk of the biohazardous fluid is removed from the surface.
Chemical disinfectants are inactivated by large amounts of organic material; the spill must be absorbed before chemical disinfection.
5
Apply a bleach solution (1:10) to the area.
The surface is chemically decontaminated.
Appropriate contact time with a tuberculocidal or bleach solution destroys remaining bloodborne pathogens.

Key Concept

Standard precautions and OSHA guidelines for biological spills involving sharps require immediate mechanical removal of the sharps hazard, followed by absorption of organic material, and concluding with chemical decontamination.
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Handling Hazardous and Infectious Materials

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