do you have to report getting stuck by a needle if not used on patient

Report it. Half or more accidental injuries from needles and other sharp medical instruments go unreported. Reporting any injury from an accidental needle stick not only helps you get the right kind of care, it helps shape guidelines for future needle handling so other people stay safe, too.

Full Answer

Do nurses get stuck by needles in hospitals?

Unfortunately, nurses are the majority of people who get stuck by needles in the hospital setting. The ANA (American Nurse Association) has been working to decrease this problem by encouraging hospitals to switch to needleless devices. However, some items in a hospital setting can not be changed to a needle-free device.

What should I do if I’m stuck with a needle?

If you are stuck with such a needle, consider reaching out to the CDC (for medical guidance) and your local health department (for legal options) to come up with a plan for next steps. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

What questions should I ask my doctor after a needle injury?

Your healthcare provider will ask you when the injury happened. He may ask about the type and amount of blood or fluid the needle was exposed to. He will also want to know if the needle was used on a person who has an infection. He may also ask if you have had any vaccines. You will also need blood tests.

What happens if you don’t dispose of needles properly?

Needle stick injuries can also happen at home or in the community if needles are not discarded properly. Used needles may have blood or body fluids that carry HIV, the hepatitis B virus (HBV), or the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Do needlestick injuries need to be reported?

You must record all work-related needlestick injuries and cuts from sharp objects that are contaminated with another person's blood or other potentially infectious material (as defined by 29 CFR 1910.1030). You must enter the case on the OSHA 300 Log as an injury.

What should a nurse do if stuck by a needle?

If you pierce or puncture your skin with a used needle, follow this first aid advice immediately: encourage the wound to bleed, ideally by holding it under running water. wash the wound using running water and plenty of soap. do not scrub the wound while you're washing it.

Do nurses report needle sticks?

Of an estimated 800,000 needlestick incidents occurring per year, less than 50% are reported. With only half of nurses reporting needlestick injuries, it seems the issue may not be as simple as it seems. Have nurses allowed their commitment to patient-care get in the way of their own health and personal well being?

What is the protocol for a needlestick?

A needlestick or sharps injury....If any of these occur, take the following steps: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.Report the incident to your supervisor.Immediately seek medical treatment.

What to do if you get stuck with a needle?

What to DoWash it. Clean any accidental sticks right away. ... Fact check it. Find out as much as you can about the person or persons who used the needle before you. ... Get treated. Tell your doctor what happened. ... Report it. Half or more accidental injuries from needles and other sharp medical instruments go unreported.

What counts as a needlestick 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.

Why is it important to report needle stick injuries?

Needle-stick injuries are the second most commonly reported adverse incident within the NHS (17%), and constitute a major hazard for the transmission of viral disease—hepatitis B and C and HIV. They are also a potential source of transmission of prion diseases.

Why is it important to report a needlestick injury?

Sharps Injuries: Completing the Injury Report If you sustain a sharps injury, it is very important to report the injury to your employer and to file an injury report. The objective of an injury report is to receive immediate post exposure care and to learn from incidents.

Can you get Covid from a needle stick?

Although there appears to be a theoretical risk of transmission of infection through blood, it is still extremely low due to low volume of blood in needle stick injuries compared to the well-known respiratory route.

How long is a needle contaminated?

HBV can survive for up to one week under optimal conditions, and has been detected in discarded needles (6,18). A case of HBV acquired from a discarded needle used by a known HBV carrier has been reported (4).

What test must be performed as a result of a needlestick?

Inform the original user of the needle about the needlestick injury - if they are known. They will be asked to consent to blood tests to check their HIV, HBV and HCV status. They should be provided with counselling before the tests are done.

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 is needle stick?

Needle sticks are very common in the healthcare field. Unfortunately, nurses are the majority of people who get stuck by needles in the hospital setting. The ANA (American Nurse Association) has been working to decrease this problem by encouraging hospitals to switch to needleless devices.

What happens if you have a positive HIV test?

If the patient has a positive result for HIV or hepatitis, you might be started on prophylaxis drugs and will be required to get repeated blood draws to check for HIV and hepatitis because this disease will not show up for months if you have contracted them.

Why do nurses get stuck?

I have heard horror stories of nurses cleaning out a patient’s bed and getting stuck with a dirty needle, or disposing a needle in the sharps box and getting poked by a dirty needle because ...

How to stop needle stick injury?

2.) Clean the affected areas with soap and water, or follow the cleaning protocols set by your facility. 3.) Follow your hospital’s or work setting protocol for needle stick injuries.

Can a hospital use a needle free device?

However, some items in a hospital setting can not be changed to a needle-free device. For instance, subcutaneous injections for insulin or intramuscular injections for vaccines require a needle for administration. Granted, most of these devices have safety technology that protects the nurse from a needle stick, ...

What is the risk of infection from a needle stick?

Risk of transmission of infection due to a needle stick depends on many factors: viral load, length of time of the exposure, depth of the injury, use of a hollow- bore needle, type of fluid, presence of visible blood , and the type of bloodborne pathogen involved. The most common bloodborne pathogens are Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), ...

How long does it take to get tested for HCV?

No PEP is required. HCV Antibody testing should be performed at 4-6 months to determine if any treatment is necessary.

How long does it take to get an HCP opinion?

It is the employer’s responsibility to provide the employee with the HCP’s written opinion within 15 days of the evaluation.

Should an HCP provide an evaluation?

Evaluation by a licensed HCP should be provided at no cost to the employee and without delay. The employer should provide a letter to the HCP with a copy of the Exposure Incident form and any other relevant medical information.

Is blood contaminated with blood a BBP?

Body fluids such as urine, saliva, sputum, stool, emesis, nasal secretions, tears or sweat unless visibly contaminated with blood are not considered at risk for BBP transmission. HIV and HBV have a much higher risk of transmission from an occupational exposure compared to HCV.

Can you get PEP if you have HIV?

If the exposure source status is unknown and the individual consents to a rapid HIV-antibody test, this would also avoid PEP treatment if a negative result is obtained.

How many people get stuck with needles?

According to the CDC, some 385,000 health care workers accidentally stick themselves with needles every year. Your chances of catching a disease from a single needle stick are usually very low. About 1 out of 300 health care workers accidentally stuck with a needle from someone with HIV get infected.

What is the risk of HIV if you share a needle?

The dangers are greater if you use drugs and share needles with someone who has a disease. Each time someone injects drugs with a needle used by an HIV -positive person, for example, they have a 1 in 160 chance of getting the virus.

What is the virus that goes up when you get a needle?

Epstein-Barr, a type of herpes virus. When it comes to HIV, your chances of getting it goes up if the needle: Has blood on it. Was first stuck in someone’s artery or vein. Was used for a very deep injury. Was used on someone who dies within 2 months of the needle stick injury.

How to get rid of HIV infection with a needle?

1. Wash it. Clean any accidental sticks right away. Rinse and wash the area well with running water and soap. No need to use antiseptics or dis infectants.

What are some ways to treat a virus?

If your doctor decides you’re at risk for infection, they can treat it several ways: Immunization shots. Some vaccine shots, like those for hepatitis B, diphtheria, and tetanus, help your body’s immune system kick in and protect you from those infections. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Can you report a needle stick injury?

Reporting any injury from an accidental needle stick not only helps you get the right kind of care, it helps shape guidelines for future needle handling so other people stay safe, too. Prevention. You’re most likely to get a needle injury while injecting someone. But accidents can happen in other ways.

Do antiretroviral drugs kill viruses?

Antiretroviral drugs don’t kill viruses. But a short course of these HIV medications, taken within 72 hours of your exposure to the virus, may keep it from taking hold in your body.. 4. Report it. Half or more accidental injuries from needles and other sharp medical instruments go unreported.

Why does the VA do HIV testing?

In VA, all HIV testing of patients done for the purpose of establishing a diagnosis requires verbal informed consent of the veteran patient.

Which states require court order for HIV testing?

Most other states only required court order if blood specimen was not available for testing (the court order mainly being used to obtain the actual blood specimen itself). Hawaii, Maryland, and New York permitted unconsented HIV testing in cases of occupational exposure only is source patients were unable to consent because they were absent, ...

Which states allow unconsented HIV testing?

California, Rhode Island, and South Carolina permitted unconsented HIV testing on patients with full capacity even when they refuse voluntary testing. In contrast, the federal government (overseeing care of VA patients) requires a patient’s verbal consent.

What to do if you are stuck with a needle?

And the laws change over time. If you are stuck with such a needle, consider reaching out to the CDC (for medical guidance) and your local health department (for legal options) to come up with a plan for next steps.

Is HIV positive repeat?

While the initial HIV test was positive, repeat testing was negative. Great news. The healthcare worker had been placed on post-exposure prophylaxis and it was discontinued once the all-clear signal was received. Most patients are cooperative and will give affirmative consent to test their blood.

Who should report a person who refuses a blood test?

Instead, a source person who refuses testing should be reported to the local health director, who has legal authority to obtain information from other sources.

How to prevent needle stick injury?

What can I do to prevent needle stick injuries? 1 Always use gloves when you handle needles that are exposed to blood or other body fluids. You may want to use 2 pairs of gloves for extra protection. 2 Do not recap needles after use. Recapping needles increases your risk for a needle stick. 3 Throw away needles in a safe container. A hard container with a lid may prevent accidental needle sticks.

How do needle stick injuries happen?

How do needle stick injuries occur? Needle stick injuries usually happen by accident. Needles may cause injury to you or to someone else if they were not properly discarded after use. An injury can also occur if you do not use gloves to protect your hands while you work with needles.

How to treat a needle wound?

Wash the wound with soap and water. Contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Your healthcare provider will ask you when the injury happened. He may ask about the type and amount of blood or fluid the needle was exposed to. He will also want to know if the needle was used on a person who has an infection.

When to use gloves for needles?

Always use gloves when you handle needles that are exposed to blood or other body fluids. You may want to use 2 pairs of gloves for extra protection. Do not recap needles after use. Recapping needles increases your risk for a needle stick. Throw away needles in a safe container.

What is a Td shot?

You will need to be tested for HCV and treated if you were infected. A Td vaccine is a booster shot used to help prevent diphtheria and tetanus. The Td booster may be given to adolescents and adults for certain wounds and injuries.

When is PEP needed?

PEP may be needed if the person whose fluids you were exposed to has a known infection. Do not donate blood, organs, tissues, or semen until your follow-up is completed at 6 months.

Can you take PEP for HIV?

You will need more blood tests. You will also need to make sure your medicines are working. PEP for HIV often causes side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider about your symptoms. He will need to make sure you are taking the medicine correctly.

How to treat needlestick injury?

If you experienced a needlestick injury or were exposed to the blood or other body fluid of a patient during the course of your work, immediately follow these steps: 1 Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water 2 Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with water 3 Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile irrigants 4 Report the incident to your supervisor 5 Immediately seek medical treatment

Can needlesticks cause HIV?

Needlestick injuries can lead to serious or fatal infections with bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, or HIV. Learn more about how to protect yourself and your coworkers from needlestick injuries. Any worker who may come in contact with needles is at risk, including nursing staff, lab workers, doctors, ...

Who is at risk for needles?

Any worker who may come in contact with needles is at risk, including nursing staff, lab workers, doctors, and housekeepers. Whenever a needle or other sharp device is exposed, injuries can occur. Certain work practices may increase the risk of needlestick injury.

How can nurses reduce their risk?

Nurses can reduce their risk by following safety measures and using needleless systems (when possible) and activating the safety device on sharps. Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when performing a procedure or task that has a high risk of exposure to body fluids is also critical.

How many sharps injuries are there in healthcare?

According to the CDC, there is an average of 385,000 sharps-related injuries annually among healthcare workers. Healthcare workers are at risk for contracting diseases such as Hepatitis B or C as well as HIV - which can be terrifying. Despite legislation for needlestick prevention and safety measures in place, accidents do happen, ...

What to do after exposure to sharps?

For sharps/needlestick injuries, nurses should immediately wash the area with soap and water and "milk" the area to encourage bleeding. Viruses begin to multiply rapidly once in the bloodstream, so preventing entry into the bloodstream in the first place is extremely important.

What to do if you have a splash exposure?

For splash exposures, nurses should scrub the area thoroughly with soap and water. For splash exposures involving mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth), irrigate the area well with water. Nurses should immediately report exposures to a supervisor.

What happens when you report a patient to a provider?

In some cases, the patient is contacted and blood work ordered to check Hepatitis B and C status as well as HIV. This is only if it is known where the exposure came from. Also, the patient must give consent to check blood work.

Should nurses report sharps?

Nurses should immediately report exposures to a supervisor. This is one of the largest problems; nurses are extremely busy and sometimes choose not to report right away. They may not want to "dump" their work on others and sometimes they are afraid of discipline for reporting a sharps injury.

Where is Amanda Bucceri?

Amanda Bucceri Androus is a Registered Nurse from Sacramento, California. She graduated from California State University, Sacramento in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in nursing. She began her career working night shifts on a pediatric/ med-surg unit for six years, later transferring to a telemetry unit where she worked for four more years.