Final answer:
a) True The statement that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is an essential defense against bloodborne pathogens is true. PPE provides a critical barrier to infection for healthcare workers, protecting body areas vulnerable to pathogenic exposure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is indeed an important line of defense against exposure to bloodborne pathogens. This statement is true. PPE includes items such as gloves, gowns, face protection, and eye protection, which healthcare workers and others use to create a barrier between them and possible infection. Considering that pathogens can enter the body through mucous membranes and other non-integumentary system openings, PPE serves to protect these areas in particular from contact with infectious agents.As part of the body's first line of defense, physical barriers such as skin and mucous membranes, along with chemical barriers, work to prevent the entry of pathogens.
However, skin does not offer complete protection against all types of pathogens, necessitating additional precautions like PPE, especially in environments where exposure to bloodborne pathogens is a significant risk, such as in medical settings. Employing PPE effectively requires proper use and disposal procedures to maintain its protective qualities and prevent the spread of infection.PPE, or Personal Protective Equipment, is an important line of defense against exposure to bloodborne pathogens. This includes gloves, masks, gowns, and other protective gear that healthcare workers use to protect themselves from infections. Therefore, the statement 'PPE is an important line of defense against exposure to bloodborne pathogens' is true.