As a lifesaver, you are trained to provide resuscitation and first aid, and you must take all the appropriate precautions against communicable and infectious diseases. Standard precautions should be used during all patient care to prevent the likelihood of transmission of infection between the patient and lifesaver, as well as to prevent contamination of the environment. This applies to the lifesaver’s “workplace”, which includes the beach and the first aid room.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare identifies a number of components to standardised precautions (previously known as “Universal Precautions”):
- Hand hygiene, as consistent with the 5 moments for hand hygiene
- The use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, single-use resuscitation masks and eye protection
- The safe use and disposal of sharps
- Routine environmental cleaning
- Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette
- Waste management
- Appropriate handling of linen
- Immunisation against infectious diseases, e.g., hepatitis and tetanus.