Needle Stick Injury: Causes, Risks, and Immediate Management

Needle Stick Injury: Causes, Risks, and Immediate Management

Question. Write a short note on needle stick injury.

Answer. Needle stick injuries are wounds caused by needles that accidentally puncture the skin.

• Needle stick injuries are a hazard for people who work with hypodermic syringes and other needle equipment.
• These injuries can occur at any time: during use, disassembling, or disposal.
• Needle stick injuries transmit infectious diseases, especially blood­borne viruses.
• In recent years, concern about AIDS, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C has prompted research to find out the causes of these injuries and develop measures to prevent them.

“Common challenges in preventing and managing needle stick injuries effectively: FAQs provided”

• Despite published guidelines and training programs, needle stick injuries remain an ongoing problem.
• Accidental punctures by contaminated needles can inject hazardous flids into the body through the skin.
  There is potential for injection of hazardous drugs, but injection of infectious flids, especially blood, is by far the greatest concern.
• Even small amounts of infectious flid can spread certain diseases effctively.
  Accidental injection of blood­borne viruses is the major hazard of needle stick injuries, especially the viruses that cause AIDS (HIV), hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

“Understanding needle stick injury through FAQs: Causes, risks, and immediate management explained”

Causes

• Equipment design: Safer innovative devices using protected needle devices or needle­free systems with self­sealing ports would alleviate many of these injuries.
  Syringes with safety features reduce needle stick injuries.
• Recapping: Recapping can account for 25 to 30% all needle stick injuries. Often, it is the single most common cause.
• Improper disposal: Virtually all needle stick injuries are from needles that have either been lost in the workplace or thrown into regular garbage.
  Janitors and garbage handlers can also experience needle stick injuries or cuts from ’sharps’ when handling trash that contains needles or scalpels.

“Importance of studying needle stick injuries for healthcare professionals: Questions explained”

Management

• Stop all operative procedures.
• Identify and examine the wound
• Immediately wash, but do not scrub the injury
• Encourage bleeding
• Blood specimen for both the patient and the health care worker is taken for specimen.