In barrier nursing, the management of blood spills should be done using ______.

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse-2023 shift 1st

Explanation

1% sodium hypochlorite is the standard and recommended disinfectant for blood and body fluid spills in healthcare settings.
It is a broad-spectrum disinfectant effective against bacteria, viruses (including HIV, HBV, HCV), and fungi.
This concentration provides sufficient strength (approximately 10,000 ppm of available chlorine) to inactivate pathogens present in blood.
It is inexpensive, fast-acting, and readily available, making it a practical choice for infection control.

Option A: While calcium hypochlorite is a halogen-based disinfectant, sodium hypochlorite is the more commonly used agent in liquid form (bleach) for spill management in hospitals.
Option B: Nitrogen hypochlorite is not a standard or recognized chemical disinfectant in healthcare protocols. This option is chemically incorrect.
Option C: A 50% concentration of calcium hypochlorite is excessively high, corrosive, and dangerous for routine use. It would damage surfaces and pose a significant health risk to the user.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Infection control and management of biohazardous spills helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Correct management of blood spills is a fundamental nursing responsibility to prevent nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections and protect both patients and healthcare workers.
Failure to use the correct disinfectant and procedure can lead to the transmission of serious blood-borne pathogens like HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.
Nurses must always wear appropriate PPE (gloves, apron, mask, eye protection) when handling any blood or body fluid spill, regardless of its size.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is asking for the correct disinfectant for a 'blood spill' in a 'barrier nursing' context.
Recall standard infection control protocols. Blood is a biohazard requiring a potent disinfectant.
Evaluate each option based on two criteria: the chemical agent and its concentration.
Eliminate '50% nitrogen hypochlorite' as it is not a standard medical disinfectant.
Eliminate '50% calcium hypochlorite' because a 50% concentration is dangerously high for any routine disinfection.
Choose between '1% calcium hypochlorite' and '1% sodium hypochlorite'. Both are hypochlorites, but sodium hypochlorite (liquid bleach) is the most common standard for surface and spill disinfection in hospitals.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Q9epaaJpiNfoUiye8N7tjr

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) pp. 129-131, 128-130

Practise the full NHM UP Staff Nurse-2023 shift 1st

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.