Needle Stick Injury At Work Nhs

Needle stick injuries are a reality for people who regularly use needles like nurses and lab workers.

Needle stick injury at work nhs.

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. Otherwise call your gp nhs 111 or go to the nearest accident and emergency a e department. Preventing needlestick and sharps injuries and the related prevention of infection are health and safety risk management and clinical governance issues. These injuries occur when someone suffers a prick from a needle or some other sharp object.

Irrigate eyes with clean water saline or sterile irrigants. Sharps related injuries carry the risk of serious blood borne infection. The nhs injury allowance provides support for staff who sustain an injury disease or other health condition which is attributable to their employment. Flush splashes to the nose mouth or skin with water.

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. 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. 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. It also can happen if you handle trash even if it s not medical waste.

They can occur anywhere on the body though usually on the finger or hand. The major blood borne pathogens of concern associated with needlestick injury are. Related hse websites. A systematic review was undertaken to consider the evidence related to safer sharps devices and their impact on needlestick injury reduction within the healthcare sector.

The nhs injury allowance scheme was introduced on 31 march 2013 following a nhs staff council partnership review of the nhs injury benefit scheme. Medical workers are at risk for getting injured by needles and other devices used to puncture or lacerate the skin sharps. Hepatitis b virus hbv hepatitis c virus hcv. Injuries from needles used in medical procedures are sometimes called needle stick or sharps injuries.

Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water. Contact your employer s occupational health service if you injure yourself at work.