Page 105 - 2020 ARE eGuide for Clinical at Nonhospital Sites

Prevention & Treatment of Blood Exposures

Prevention of Blood Exposures
• Consistently use the appropriate Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) as indicated by
procedure and various policies
• Activate needle safety devices and discard
used needles immediately after use in a puncture
resistant container.
• Never RECAP needles.
• Sharps containers are exchanged when 3/4 full
by departmental personnel. There are extra
empty sharps containers available for exchanges.

Review Poster for How to Put On and Safely Remove Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Treatment of Blood Exposure

If you do have an injury:
1. Wash the affected area (if eyes are exposed flush for 15 minutes).
2. Perform first aid.

3. Report incident to your manager or supervisor within 1 - 2 hours maximum.
4. Report it to Employee Health or the ED if Employee Health is closed (or to an
Urgent Care Center) for evaluation and treatment as indicated.

A stick does not automatically mean you've been exposed to something, but it is
important to follow the post exposure protocol.

Needle stick injuries are tracked to determine trends and identify issues that may need to
be addressed.