First Aid for Accidental Exposures: Needle-Stick Injuries and Body Fluid Splashes

First Aid for Needle-Stick Injuries

Definition of Sharps

  • Sharps refer to needles used for injections and other procedures.
  • Needle-stick injuries most frequently occur through accidental contact with a sharp object that has been in contact with a client's blood.

Prevention of Needle-Stick Injuries

  • Proper Disposal: Dispose of needles and other sharp objects immediately after use in a biohazard container specifically designed for that purpose.
  • Careful Inspection: Before scooping up paper towels or other garbage from a client's bedside, always check carefully to ensure no sharps have been left behind.

If You Receive a Needle-Stick Injury

  • Immediate Washing: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
  • Urgent Reporting - Healthcare Professional: Report the incident immediately to a regulated health-care professional.
  • Urgent Reporting - Emergency Department: Report to an emergency department within one hour of the injury.
  • Infection Control: Follow all Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) guidelines specifically pertaining to this type of injury.
  • Documentation: Complete all necessary documentation as required by the agency's policy and procedures.

First Aid for Body Fluid Splash to the Eye

How Body Fluid Splashes Occur

  • A piece of tubing containing client's blood spurts into the eye.
  • A blood vessel is injured, causing a blood spurt into the eye.
  • Contents of a container holding blood or other body fluids splash into the eye.
  • Other body fluids, such as urine, can splash into a worker's eyes while emptying a bedpan, a catheter bag, or performing personal care.

Prevention of Body Fluid Splashes to the Eye

  • Wear eye goggles or eye shields whenever there is any potential for body fluids to splash into the eye.

If You Sustain a Blood or Other Body Fluid Splash to the Eye

  • Immediate Flushing: Use the employer's eyewash station or gently running lukewarm water to flush the affected eye for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Reporting - Healthcare Professional: Report the incident to a regulated health-care professional.
  • Reporting - Emergency: Report to an emergency department.
  • Infection Control: Follow all Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) guidelines specifically pertaining to this incident.
  • Documentation: Complete all necessary documentation as required by the agency's policy and procedures.