What are needlestick injuries? When a used needle accidentally punctures your skin from a medical procedure, the wound resulting from it is called a needlestick injury. This is also sometimes called sharps injury. Syringes, lancets and scalpels are medical supplies included in sharps. Glass from broken medical equipment is also called sharps.

Needlestick injuries are usually caused by the following:

• Incorrect use of sharps; or failing to use the safety-engineered ones.
• Recapping needles after use.
• Transferring a body fluid container
• Improper disposal of used needles.

Needlestick injuries are a danger for people who work as health workers, specifically handling hypodermic syringes and other needle equipment. These injuries are common in situations when people use, disassemble, or the act of disposing needles.

Should you worry about sharps injuries, and why? Yes, you should because the needlestick injury risk of transmission is the potential exposure to infections such as BBV or blood-borne viruses. 

This happens when the sharp is contaminated with a patient’s blood or bodily fluid. The blood-borne viruses that are most worrisome are the Hepatitis-B virus (HBV).

Needlestick injuries can be prevented. These safety tips can help protect you from such injuries.

• Follow all safety procedures in the workplace.
• Use clean needles. If you inject drugs, you can get free needles from your local or state health department or some non-profit and advocacy groups. 
• These needles are safe to use.
• Go slowly. Doing everything in a hurry can lead to accidents. When using needles, it would be safer to take your time.
• Use safety features. The needle technology has made progress. Use any devices that allow you to avoid accidents.
• Never recap needles; leave the caps off after use, so you spend less time with them, and it’s safer.
• Dispose of used needles in a sharps container, not in the trash. The sharps container should be labeled, leak-proof, and puncture resistant.
• Remember that latex gloves cannot be a protection from needlestick injuries.

However, accidents do happen. You might experience a sharps injury at work. It may be a superficial needlestick injury, which affects the topmost layer of your skin. The wound is like lacerations, abrasions, and grazes.

Here’s what to do after needlestick injury:

If you are a healthcare worker and you happen to get stuck with a needle, had a sharps injury, or got exposed to a patient’s body fluid or blood, these are the steps that you should take:

1. Wash the needlestick and cut with soap and clean water. If there is no available soap and water, you can use alcohol-based solutions/hand rubs.
2. Flush with water that splashes to the skin, mouth and nose.
3. Irrigate your eyes with water, sterile irrigants, or saline.
4. If the accident happened at work, report the incident to your supervisor or any occupational health and safety officer, and fill out an accident report form.
5. Seek immediate medical treatment. Go directly to your doctor or the emergency department of the hospital nearest to you. Tell the doctor what happened. Their plan will be according to your situation.

 If your doctor decides that you are at risk for infection, these are the treatments after needlestick injury that they may take.

• Immunization shots to help your body’s immune system kick in. The vaccine shots like those for Hepatitis B, diphtheria, and tetanus will protect you from those infections.
• Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors will stop viruses from reproducing or making copies of themselves.
• Post Exposure Prophylaxis is HIV medication that should be taken 72 hours after exposure to the virus, which will prevent the virus from spreading in your body.

If you need help with a needlestick injury or want more information about it, please get in touch with Lifesurge Healthcare today.