If you are exposed to potentially infectious material via a sharps injury, you should take the following immediate steps: 1. Immediate First Aid
- Encourage the wound to bleed gently by squeezing around the injury site; do not suck the wound.
- Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water or an antibacterial wash; avoid scrubbing or using a nailbrush.
- Cover the wound with a waterproof dressing or band-aid.
- If the exposure involves the eyes, rinse them thoroughly with copious amounts of water or saline; remove contact lenses before and after irrigation.
- For mouth exposure, rinse the mouth several times with water but do not swallow the water.
- Remove any contaminated clothing and wash the affected skin area thoroughly
2. Reporting
- Report the incident immediately to your manager, supervisor, or faculty instructor.
- Document the incident according to your workplace protocol (e.g., complete an injury/incident report form).
- Seek urgent medical evaluation at the nearest hospital emergency department or occupational health service as soon as possible to assess the risk and initiate any necessary post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
3. Follow-Up
- Follow medical advice for further testing, counseling, and treatment.
- Attend follow-up appointments with health risk management specialists or infectious disease consultants as indicated
These steps are crucial to reduce the risk of blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV following a sharps injury
