Protect Yourself from Needlestick Injuries at Work

Whenever a needle or other sharp device is exposed in the workplace, injuries can occur. Data from National Surveillance System for Healthcare Workers (NaSH) shows that approximately 38 percent of cutaneous injuries occur during needle use, and 42 percent occur after use and before disposal. There are a variety of ways you can protect yourself from needlestick injuries.

Steps

Taking Precautions

1. Figure out times where you're most at risk of injury. The first step to protecting yourself from needlestick injuries is knowledge. Understand when and where you're most at risk. If you work in a medical facility, you are at risk for needlestick injuries. Needlestick injuries occur most often during the following activities:
   • Recapping needles
   • Transferring body fluids between containers
   • Disposing of used needles
2. Get a hepatitis B vaccination. Hepatitis B is one of the most common diseases transferred via needlepoint injury. If you are not already vaccinated against Hepatitis B, get a vaccination as soon as possible.
   • The hepatitis B vaccination is an intramuscular vaccination. There are 3 rounds of injections. The second injection is administered one month after the first, and the third injection is administered six months after the first.
   • You may experience a minor reaction, like pain or redness at the injection site. You may also experience headache and fatigue. Reactions should pass within a few days.
3. Protect your skin when handling needles. Always protect your skin when handling needles or administering injections. Be particularly careful about any open sores.
   • Any open skin or lesions should be covered by gloves or a dry dressing at all times when handling needles.
   • While administering injections, make sure the eyes, nose, and mouth are covered to avoid any splashes of blood.
4. Use alternatives to needles when possible. Needles should only be used when absolutely necessary to a patient's health. Use alternatives when possible.
   • If a medication can be administered orally in pill form, choose this over injecting the medication.
   • If you need to run tests on a patient, see if there are any alternatives to blood tests you can use. For example, you could collect a swab from the inside of a patient's cheek or run a urine test.

Disposing of Needles

1. Dispose of needles without recapping them. Once a needle has been used, you do not need to recap it. This is unnecessary and increases the likelihood of a needlestick injury. Never recap a needle once it's been used.
2. Place the needle in a wide mouth puncture proof container. Once a needle has been used, place the needle in a wide mouth puncture proof container.
   • If your hospital adheres to the guidelines laid out by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, they should have puncture proof containers on hand to dispose of used needles.
   • If containers are not available, this a needlestick hazard and should be immediately reported to your employer.
3. Remove and replace needlestick containers when they are three quarters full. Needlestick containers should not be filled to the brim. This increases the likelihood of leaks or tears in the back. When containers are three quarters full, they need to be disposed of and replaced.
4. Seal containers and dispose of them. Seal containers tightly. Then make sure they are collected by those responsible for dealing with medical waste. Disposal of needles depends on the local regulations in your area regarding medical waste. If you are unsure, ask a superior.

Treating a Needlestick Injury

1. Wash the wound. The first thing you should do in the event of a needlestick injury is carefully wash around the wound. This can minimize your risk of any infections.
   • Use soap and water to clean the wound. If water is unavailable, use alcohol-based hand rubs or solutions.
2. Report needle stick injuries right away. Needlestick injuries can expose you to a number of blood-borne pathogens. It's essential to report all injuries right away to ensure that you receive appropriate followup care.
   • Notify a supervisor as you'll probably need to fill out an accident report form.
3. See a doctor immediately. You will need to leave work and immediately see a doctor. See if anyone in your hospital can see you. If they cannot, immediately go to an emergency room.
   • A doctor will take detailed information about your injury and perform a physical exam. He or she will ask you how deep the needle went in and whether or not it was visibly contaminated at the time.
   • Your doctor should also explain transmission risks, which are luckily relatively low. He or she will probably want to perform blood tests to check for pre-existing diseases.
4. Undergo post exposure prophylaxis. If your doctor believes the risk of transmission is elevated for any reason, he or she may recommend post exposure prophylaxis. This is a treatment in which you are given a round of antibiotics designed to prevent the transmission of certain infections.
   • If the person who was initially injected with the needle was positive for any diseases such as HIV or hepatitis C, your doctor will probably recommend prophylaxis. If you know there was blood on the needle, your doctor will also likely recommend the treatment.
   • You will probably be referred to a specialist for specifics on your treatment options. The medications used depend on which diseases your doctor thinks you're most at risk for.
5. Refrain from certain activities until your test results are received. Your doctor will probably test you for certain infections. Until you get the test results back, you should not engage in unprotected sex or donate blood.

Related Articles

• Overcome a Fear of Needles
• Treat Hepatitis A
• Overcome Hepatitis C
• Prevent Hepatitis A
• Prevent Hepatitis C
• Prevent Hepatitis B

References

See also

• Learn About Asbestos Legislation
• Avoid Germs at the Office
• Lift and Carry a Baby
• Find Alternatives to Sitting in a Desk
• Balance Work and Health
• Do Yoga at Your Computer
• Sue for Asbestos Exposure
• Put on a Cleanroom Suit
• Obtain OSHA Reports
• Measure Work Safety

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