Blood-borne viruses and performing exposure-prone procedures

The responsibility of registrants

Blood-borne viruses (BBVs) refer specifically to the following:

  • hepatitis B virus (HBV)
  • hepatitis C virus (HCV)
  • human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

The ºÚÁÏÉç’s expectations

The ºÚÁÏÉç’s Blood-borne Viruses in Registrants practice standard outlines registrants’ responsibilities to safeguard the health of both patients and other health-care workers.

Registrants must minimize the risk of transmitting blood-borne viruses during the provision of medical care. It applies to all registrants who perform or assist in performing exposure-prone procedures (EPPs).

The ºÚÁÏÉç expects all registrants to:

  • maintain their own wellness
  • know their own serological and infectious status and be tested every three years
  • be appropriately immunized
  • receive treatment
  • only perform or assist in performing EPPs when their health and viral loads make it safe
  • follow relevant post-exposure protocols of the
Blood-borne Viruses in Registrants practice standard

What are exposure-prone procedures?

Exposure-prone procedures are invasive procedures where there is a higher than average risk that injury to the health-care worker may result in the exposure of the patient’s open tissues to the blood or body fluid of the worker.

These procedures include those where the health-care worker’s hands (whether gloved or not) may be in contact with sharp instruments, needle tips or sharp tissues (spicules of bone or teeth) inside a patient’s open body cavity, wound or confined anatomical space where the hands or fingertips may not be completely visible at all times.

Exposure-prone procedures include (but are not limited to):

including nephrectomy, small bowel resection, cholecystectomy, subtotal thyroidectomy other elective open abdominal surgery

including surgical extractions, hard and soft tissue biopsy (if more extensive and/or having difficult access for suturing), apicoectomy, root amputation, gingivectomy, periodontal curettage, mucogingival and osseous surgery, alveoplasty or alveoectomy, and endosseous implant surgery

including valve replacement, coronary artery bypass grafting, other bypass surgery, heart transplantation, repair of congenital heart defects, thymectomy, and open-lung biopsy

 

involving bones, including oncological procedures

including craniotomy, other intracranial procedures, and open-spine surgery