Needle Stick Injury At Work Nhs

Medical workers are at risk for getting injured by needles and other devices used to puncture or lacerate the skin sharps.

Needle stick injury at work nhs.

Irrigate eyes with clean water saline or sterile irrigants. Hse has produced health services information sheet 7 health and safety sharps instruments in healthcare regulations 2013 to provide guidance on how to. Nhs trusts boards independent healthcare businesses and other employers whose main activity is the management organisation and provision of healthcare will be subject to the regulations. Sharps related injuries carry the risk of serious blood borne infection.

Flush splashes to the nose mouth or skin with water. Otherwise call your gp nhs 111 or go to the nearest accident and emergency a e department. The major blood borne pathogens of concern associated with needlestick injury are. Related hse websites.

All employers in the nhs including primary care medical and dental practitioners community pharmacists and those working privately in the nhs have legal obligations under the health and. Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water. Hepatitis b virus hbv hepatitis c virus hcv. Contact your employer s occupational health service if you injure yourself at work.

If you experienced a needlestick or sharps injury or were exposed to the blood or other body fluid of a patient during the course of your work immediately follow these steps. Needle stick injuries are a reality for people who regularly use needles like nurses and lab workers. They can occur anywhere on the body though usually on the finger or hand. Indeed it is estimated that in excess of 600 000 needle stick injuries occur to us health care workers every year each a potential exposure to disease diseases such as hepatitis b hepatitis c and hiv.

Needlestick injury introduction needlestick and sharps injuries account for 17 per cent of accidents to nhs staff and are the second most common cause of injury behind moving and handling at 18 per cent. The nhs injury allowance provides support for staff who sustain an injury disease or other health condition which is attributable to their employment. Injuries from needles used in medical procedures are sometimes called needle stick or sharps injuries. The nhs injury allowance scheme was introduced on 31 march 2013 following a nhs staff council partnership review of the nhs injury benefit scheme.

Preventing needlestick and sharps injuries and the related prevention of infection are health and safety risk management and clinical governance issues. Nhs staff are one of the groups most at risk of receiving needlestick injuries.