Medical workers are at risk of injury from needles and other medical equipment commonly used to inject or cut the skin (sharp tools). Based on estimates, 600,000 needle stick injuries experienced by medical workers in the United States each year have the potential to transmit diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Any cuts caused by needles (or other sharp medical equipment) can easily and potentially lead to infection; so sufferers of needle stick wounds must immediately take precautions so that infection does not occur. See Step 1 to find out what to do.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Performing First Aid
Step 1. Drain the blood from the needle-pierced area
Do this by leaving the bleeding area under running water for a few minutes. In this way, agents that have the potential to cause wound infections can be removed from the wound and washed off, making it less likely that the infection will enter the bloodstream. Viruses that have entered the bloodstream will multiply. So, the best first thing to do is to prevent the viral cells from getting into the blood.
Step 2. Wash the wound
Gently clean the area where the needle or other sharp object was pricked. Use plenty of soap after you bleed the wound and wash it off with water. This will help kill all viruses and bacteria as well as eliminate the source of infection and reduce the chance of infection.
- Do not rub the wound when you wash it. The wound will get worse.
- Never try to suck blood from a wound.
Step 3. Dry and close the wound
Use a sterile material to dry the wound and immediately cover the wound with a waterproof plaster or gauze.
Step 4. Clean the rest of your body of blood and fluid from the syringe with water
If the liquid from the syringe gets into your nose, mouth, face, or other areas of the skin, wash it thoroughly with soap.
Step 5. Instill the eye with saline solution (a solution that contains salt), clean water, or other sterile liquid
Gently clean the eye if the area gets splashed from the syringe.
Step 6. Remove and change potentially contaminated clothing
Put the clothes in a special sealed bag for later washing and sterilization. After removing clothes, wash your hands and body parts that come into contact with the clothes, then put on new clothes.
Part 2 of 4: Asking for Medical Help
Step 1. Seek medical help immediately
You will need to explain the state of your wound and discuss the possibility of contracting the disease. Your blood will be checked to determine if you need further treatment.
- In case of disease transmission by detected pathogens, immediate help will be provided. Help can be given through the administration of antibiotics and vaccines.
- You may need a tetanus injection, depending on your medical history.
Step 2. Determine whether there is a possibility of HIV transmission
Several steps must be taken immediately to prevent seroconversion (the formation of body antibodies that occur due to an infection or pathogen in the body). Researchers have shown that HIV seroconversion caused by needling wounds is about 0.03%. The occurrence rate is very low, so you don't need to panic.
- The HIV status of medical workers affected by needle stick wounds and the person whose blood was transferred will be checked. Hospitals and other medical facilities provide a range of tests that can be performed immediately to confirm HIV status.
- If there is a possibility of transmission, prophylactic treatment (known as post-exposure prophylaxis, PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis) should be given, preferably within an hour of the wound. Antiretroviral drugs can reduce the chance of transmission if given soon after infection is suspected. All clinics and hospitals have established protocols for rapid action in the management of needle-stick wounds.
Step 3. Determine if there is a possibility for transmission of other diseases
The risk of contracting hepatitis is greater than that of contracting HIV (the probability is about 30% for hepatitis B and about 10% for hepatitis C). So, it is essential to act quickly, as well as to take preventative measures (eg getting the hepatitis vaccine).
Part 3 of 4: Follow up
Step 1. Report the incident
Check the procedure for reporting accidents at your workplace. You must tell the employer what has happened at work. Collecting relevant statistical data can later help improve the implementation of safe work activities for everyone. This includes a “clean” and sterile needling wound.
Step 2. Perform tests and medical supervision during the recovery period
This is important as a follow-up to the previous examination. During the window period, i.e. the period of a person whose test result is negative even though he has been exposed to the virus (in fact the virus is reproducing), the test must still be carried out at predetermined intervals.
- Repeat tests to determine the possibility of HIV transmission are usually carried out after six weeks, then at three, six, and twelve months to determine the possibility of formation of HIV antibodies.
- A repeat test for HCV antibodies (antibodies that respond to the hepatitis C virus) is usually done six weeks after the incident, and again after four to six months.
Part 4 of 4: Prevention in the Workplace and Knowledge
Step 1. Create an action plan in case the same thing happens in the future
If your workplace does not yet have a fixed protocol for treating needle stick injuries, create one. This information is freely available through telephone assistance services and is also available at pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities.
Step 2. Always ensure safety in the medical environment
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the following for dealing with needle stick injuries in various workplaces:
- Wash hands after direct contact with patients.
- Use protection such as gloves, hospital gown, aprons, masks, and special eye protection when in direct contact with blood and other body fluids.
- Collect and dispose of syringes and other sharp medical equipment with care. Use waterproof box containers with impermeable materials in every patient care area.
- Do not cover the syringe with two hands. Use the technique of closing the syringe with one hand.
- Cover all cuts and abrasions with a waterproof plaster.
- Immediately clean up blood stains and spilled fluids from the human body carefully, wearing gloves.
- Use a safe hospital waste disposal system.
Step 3. Ensure work safety in other work environments
Places for tattooing, piercing, and other work environments where workers are at risk of needlestick injuries. Take the following precautions:
- Use appropriate clothing and protection when you are handling potentially hazardous items, such as garbage bags, or when you are picking up piles of rubbish.
- Be careful when putting your hands where you can't see them, such as laundry bins, holes, the back of beds and sofas, etc.
- Use sturdy footwear when walking or working in areas known to be subject to drug use, such as parks, beaches, public transport hubs, etc.
Step 4. Avoid unnecessary distractions when working with needles and syringes
You should always stay concentrated on your work and whatever you are doing.
- Don't be careless or work in a poorly lit area when you use needles.
- Be wary of anxious and panicked patients, who can move easily when you inject or remove the needle. Calm them down and insert the needle only when you are sure it is safe to do so.
