Contamination injury

Needlestick/contamination injury

The term 'Needlestick Injury' is another way to describe a sharps injury.

What are sharps?

Sharps include:

• needles
• scalpel blades
• stitch cutters
• syringes
• disposable scissors
• IV cannulae-introducers
• giving sets attached to fluid bags
• blood glucose lancets
• butterfly needles

Who is at risk from sharps injuries?

Patients, staff and visitors may all be at risk in ward/department areas, where sharps are used. However, nurses and medical personnel tend to be at most risk (Royal College of Nursing /Infection Control Nurses Association).

What is the extent of the problem?

• Nurses receive the most injuries
• Sharps cause most problems
• Injuries most commonly occur on wards and in theatre
• Injuries tend to occur during the use of the item/after use but before disposal/putting in the sharps bin

Need to know what to do following a needlestick injury?

First aid...

• Stop what you are doing
• Dispose of sharp immediately
• Wash wound with soap and warm water (do not use antiseptics etc.)
• Encourage bleeding if appropriate
• Cover with plaster/dressing to prevent bleeding onto clothes/clinical area
• Complete an incident form at the time of incident

THEN

Ring the Occupational Health Needlestick Hotline on: 0117 342 3400  immediately .

Further information can be found here: