Needlestick Injury Management
Following a needlestick or sharp injury, it is important to follow the proper precautions. You should IMMEDIATELY:
- Use soap and water to wash the affected area
- If splashes occurred to your nose, mouth, or skin, flush with water for 15 minutes
- Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline or sterile irrigants for 15 minutes
- Report the incident to your supervisor and seek medical attention
- Call the 24-hour hotline for medical treatment post-exposure, Clinicians' Post Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline (PEPline) at 1-888-448-4911
Learn about the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act of 2000
Needlestick Statistics
- 1,300,000 deaths annually 2
- 23,000,000 hepatitis infections annually 2
- 260,000 HIV/AIDS infections annually 2
- According to the CDC, 80% of occupationally acquired diseases in the U.S. are transmitted through needlestick injuries.
- Every 24 seconds a person dies from having an injection from an unclean syringe
- 50% of injections given to children are unsafe 1
Learn about effective needlestick prevention stategies »
Learn about 7 things to do in case of a needlestick injury »
Let's work together to solve this dangerous problem »
Information needed to report a needlestick injury. »