Promotion of Safety
Infection control
Hand hygiene is the single most effective way to prevent infection. Perform it before and after every resident contact, before putting on gloves, and after removing them. Under standard precautions, treat all blood and body fluids as infectious. Transmission-based precautions add: contact (gown and gloves, dedicated equipment - MRSA, C. difficile), droplet (mask - influenza, pertussis), and airborne (fit-tested N95 and negative-pressure room - tuberculosis, measles).
Body mechanics and moving residents
Widen your base, bend at the knees, hold the load close, and pivot rather than twist. Use a gait belt for transfers, and get a coworker or a mechanical lift for a resident who cannot bear weight. Never try to catch a falling resident with your back; ease them to the floor instead.
Falls and restraints
Keep the bed low and locked, the call light within reach, pathways clear, and non-skid footwear on, and answer calls promptly. Any device that limits movement is a restraint, including full side rails. Restraints need a physician's order, must be the least restrictive option, are released and the resident repositioned at least every 2 hours, and are never used for convenience or discipline.
Fire and oxygen safety
RACE: Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish or Evacuate. PASS for extinguishers: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep. With oxygen in use, post signs, remove smoking materials and petroleum products, and know where the shut-off valve is.
Rule of thumb. In any safety question, act to protect the resident first, then report.