Needle/Sharp Safety

What’s Your Safety Temperature?

Objectives

• Learn needlestick facts• Recognize risks associated with

needlesticks and sharps injuries• Understand how to reduce your

risks through prevention methods

Needlestick Facts

• One out of every five healthcare workers sustain a needlestick injury every year

• Nurses have the most frequent needlestick injuries, followed by physicians, nursing assistants and housekeepers

• 40% of needlestick injuries occur during use• 40% occur after use and before disposal• 15% are disposal-related• 5% occur during recapping

The Risks

• Hepatitis B• Hepatitis C• HIV

What can you do?

• Get a hepatitis B vaccination– If you are at risk for blood

exposures• Wear personal protective

equipment– Gloves– Apron/gown– Eye protection

What can you do?

• Always use safety devices on needles and sharps– Safer needles/needleless systems

• Explain procedures to patients– Gain their cooperation– Avoid potential movement during

procedure

What can you do?

• Limit interruptions during procedures

• Ask for assistance with patients– Uncooperative patients– Children

What can you do?

• When feasible, place sharps container close to procedure area

• NEVER recap needles• Dispose of used needles in

sharps disposal containers• Avoid overfilling sharps

disposal containers

What can you do?

• Wash hands after each patient contact

• Report ALL needlestick and sharp injuries

• Attend needle/sharps safety training when offered

Needle/Sharp Safety

What’s Your Safety Temperature?