How to prevent needlestick and sharps injuries

"Needlestick and other sharps injuries are a serious hazard in any healthcare setting. Contact with contaminated needles, scalpels, broken glass, and other sharps may expose healthcare workers to blood that contains pathogens which pose a grave, potentially lethal risk. If you experience a needlestick or sharps injury or are exposed to the blood or other body fluid of a client 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." - NIOSHTIC-2"February 2012.""This is one in a series of six fast fact cards developed to provide practical advice for home healthcare workers and is based on NIOSH Hazard Review: Occupational Hazards in Home Healthcare, NIOSH Pub No. 2010-125."Also available via the World Wide Web as an Acrobat .pdf file (776 KB, 2 p.)