Occupational Safety, Ethics, and Communication
Scope
Workplace safety, infection control, professional ethics and patient communication.
Safety
- Segregate waste: yellow for infectious waste, red for recyclable plastics, sharps into puncture-proof containers; never recap needles.
- Hand hygiene at the WHO five moments; gloves for contact with body fluids; clean devices between patients.
- Report incidents and near misses; know fire exits and extinguisher types; use ergonomic lifting to protect your back.
Ethics
- Work within your scope; refer medical questions to the clinician.
- Obtain informed consent; keep records confidential; never discuss patients in public areas.
- Be honest about limitations; do not promise outcomes.
Communication
Explain procedures in plain language, use teach-back, allow the patient to express fears, and involve family only with consent. Adjustment to limb loss occurs in stages; listen rather than reassure prematurely.
Worked example
A patient with diabetes reports a red area on the residual limb and asks you to “just pad it”. Correct response: stop prosthesis use, inspect and document, arrange clinical review, and do not modify the socket beyond your scope. Padding over an ulcer hides deterioration.
Traps
Breaching confidentiality; giving clinical advice; adjusting a prescription without authorisation; ignoring a red area; skipping hand hygiene between patients.