Bed Bug Safety Tips When Visiting Homecare Patients – Tips for Nurses and Home Health Aids
As a home healthcare professional (Nurse, physical therapist, respiratory therapist, etc.) you can encounter many hazards. One such hazard is possible bed bug infestation. Here are a few tips to help you avoid them.
Tips for nurses and home health aids to avoid bedbugs:
- Don’t be shy about asking if there has been any bed bug infestation in the home you are visiting – it’s no different than asking if the dog bites!
- When possible place any equipment inside an anti-bed bug encasement, such as an anti-bedbug laundry bag or anti-bedbug laundry bag. If you remove it while on the patient’s premise, be sure to inspect it again before returning it to the protective covering.
- If possible, cover your shoes with a disposable slip on cover and remove and dispose as soon as you leave the premises.
- Inspect the area you will be working in. Make sure there are no signs of bed bugs, such as brown/reddish streaks or spots on bedding or fabrics, shed bed bug skins, eggs or of course live bed bugs themselves.
- When leaving the patient’s home, inspect your person for any bed bugs or eggs.
More bedbug tips for protecting your family:
When having a sleepover
When going off to Summer Camp
When going off to college
In the workplace
When renting a Halloween costume
When residing in a dormitory
When using a daycare center
When staying in a hospital
When visiting family and friends
When residing in a Senior Resident Housing
