Admin Table of Contents
- 1 What are needlestick precautions?
- 2 What is mean by needle-stick injury?
- 3 What are needle-stick protection devices?
- 4 How long after a needlestick should you get tested?
- 5 Who is at risk for needle stick injury?
- 6 What are universal precautions?
- 7 What happens if you accidentally poke yourself with a used needle?
- 8 What labs do you order for a needlestick injury?
- 9 What can be done to prevent needlestick injuries?
- 10 What is the medical definition of a needlestick?
- 11 What is the protocol for needle stick exposure?
What are needlestick precautions?
Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water. • Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with water. • Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile irrigants.
What is mean by needle-stick injury?
Needlestick injuries are wounds caused by needles that accidentally puncture the skin. Needlestick injuries are a hazard for people who work with hypodermic syringes and other needle equipment. These injuries can occur at any time when people use, disassemble, or dispose of needles.
What is needle-stick?
Injuries from needles used in medical procedures are sometimes called needle-stick or sharps injuries. Sharps can include other medical supplies, such as syringes, scalpels and lancets, and glass from broken equipment.
What are needle-stick protection devices?
Needlestick-prevention devices (NPDs) are an essential tool for protecting healthcare workers from injuries that could result in exposure to bloodborne pathogens. More than a dozen NPD varieties are available.
How long after a needlestick should you get tested?
You should be tested for HCV antibody and liver enzyme levels (alanine amino- transferase or ALT) as soon as possible after the exposure (baseline) and at 4-6 months after the exposure. To check for infection earlier, you can be tested for the virus (HCV RNA) 4-6 weeks after the exposure.
What tests are done after a needlestick?
Laboratory studies in exposed individuals/health care worker include the following: Hepatitis B surface antibody. HIV testing at time of incident and again at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Hepatitis C antibody at time of incident and again at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks.
Who is at risk for needle stick injury?
Some people, such as health care workers are at increased risk of needlestick injury, which occurs when the skin is accidentally punctured by a used needle. Blood-borne diseases that could be transmitted by such an injury include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV).
What are universal precautions?
Universal Precautions
- Use barrier protection at all times.
- Use gloves for protection when working with or around blood and body fluids.
- Change glove between patients.
- Use glasses, goggles, masks, shields, and waterproof gowns/aprons to protect face from splashes.
- Wash hands if contaminated and after removing gloves.
How is a needle stick injury treated?
Treating needlestick injuries
- Wash the area gently with soap and running tap water as soon as possible.
- Apply an antiseptic and a clean dressing.
- Obtain prompt medical advice from your local doctor or hospital emergency department, preferably within 24 hours.
- Dispose of the needle safely.
What happens if you accidentally poke yourself with a used needle?
If you come into contact with blood or body fluids, always treat them as potentially infectious. If you prick yourself with a used needle, hold the affected limb down low to get it to bleed. Do not squeeze the wound or soak it in bleach. Wash the area with warm water and soap.
What labs do you order for a needlestick injury?
Needle Stick Injury Protocol Blood Test
- HIV 4th Generation antigen/antibody.
- Hepatitis B Panel (includes Surface Antibody, Surface Antigen, Core Antibody)
- Hepatitis C Antibody.
- Hepatic Function (Liver function)
What happens if you get pricked by a used needle?
Used needles may have blood or body fluids that carry HIV, the hepatitis B virus (HBV), or the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The virus can spread to a person who gets pricked by a needle used on an infected person.
What can be done to prevent needlestick injuries?
Over 80% of needlestick injuries can be prevented with t he use of safer needle devices (CDC, 1997) , which, in conjunction with worker education a nd work practice controls, can reduce injuries by over 90% (Jagger, 1996). The first safer needle designs were patented in the 1970s.
What is the medical definition of a needlestick?
Medical Definition of needlestick : an accidental puncture of the skin with an unsterilized instrument (as a syringe) — called also needlestick injury
How are health care workers exposed to needlesticks?
American Nurses Association – Independent Study Module Needlestick Sa fety and Prevention ABSTRACT Every day, health care workers are exposed to dangerous and deadly bloodborne pathogens through contaminated needlesticks, sharps, or splash exposures. It is one of the greatest risks faced by the frontline health care worker.
What is the protocol for needle stick exposure?
Needle Stick Exposure Protocol. Flush eyes with clean water or sterile eye irrigant for 15 minutes. If no eye wash is on site, report to the ETC as soon as possible for eye irrigation.