Hand hygiene and infection control for pathology collectors

Why it matters in collection

Pathology collectors see many patients a day, often back to back, and every venepuncture involves broken skin, blood and a sharp. Clean hands and good technique protect the patient, the next patient and you. The NHMRC guidelines and the National Hand Hygiene Initiative set the baseline; your employer's procedures set out how they apply in your collection centre, hospital or home visits.

The 5 moments in a collection room

1. Before touching a patient — when they sit down, before you check their arm.
2. Before a procedure — after palpating the vein and before you put on gloves and clean the site.
3. After a procedure or body fluid exposure risk — straight after you remove your gloves.
4. After touching a patient — when the collection is done.
5. After touching a patient's surroundings — such as the collection chair and armrest.

Use alcohol-based hand rub unless your hands are visibly dirty, in which case wash with soap and water.

Gloves

• Wear gloves for venepuncture and capillary collections, because there's a risk of contact with blood.
• Use a new pair for each patient, and clean your hands before putting them on and after taking them off.
• Don't re-palpate the cleaned site, unless your procedure allows it with a sterile glove.

Tourniquets, trays and chairs

• Tourniquets can carry germs from patient to patient. Use single-use tourniquets or clean reusable ones as your procedure says, and discard any that are visibly soiled.
• Wipe the armrest and collection tray between patients, and clean blood spots straight away.

Sharps

• Never recap a used needle. Activate the safety device, if there is one, and put the needle straight into a sharps container within arm's reach.
• Close and replace sharps containers at the fill line.
• If you have a needlestick injury, wash the area, tell your supervisor and get medical assessment promptly.

Specimens

Label specimens at the patient's side. Place them in specimen bags with the request form in the separate pocket, and wipe any blood off the outside of tubes. Clean your hands after handling specimens, and follow your employer's procedure for transport.