Needlestick injuries are frequent occurrences in healthcare settings and can lead to serious complications. While the introduction of universal precautions and safety conscious needle designs has led to a decrease in needlestick injuries, they still do occur. Awareness of needlestick injuries started to develop soon after the identification of HIV in the early 1980s. However, today the major concern after a needlestick injury is not HIV but hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Guidelines have been established to help healthcare institutions manage needlestick injuries and when to initiate post-exposure HIV prophylaxis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a model that helps healthcare professionals recognize when to start antiretroviral therapy. This activity describes the evaluation and management of needlestick injuries and highlights the role of the interprofessional team in improving care for affected patients.
Objectives:
- Identify the epidemiology of needlestick injuries.
- Review the risk factors for needle stick injuries.
- Describe the risks of contracting a blood-borne pathogen secondary to needlestick injuries.
- Explain the importance of improving care coordination amongst interprofessional team members to improve outcomes for patients affected by needlestick injuries.