Update On Current Medicine: Sharp tools

● Sharp tools in use in hospital setting:

● Why proper handling and disposal of sharps is important?

Improper handling and disposal of sharps leads to acquisition of infections by Healthcare Workers during their work ( occupational health hazards).
This leads to transmission of blood borne infections namely HBV, HCV AND HIV infections among patients as well as Healthcare workers.
Proper handling and disposal of sharps leads to the minimization of the risk of getting infected by above blood borne infections.

● Risk of blood borne infections after percutaneous injury

● Proper handling of sharps:

Avoid using sharps whenever possible.
Sharps such as scalpels, lancets, needles and syringes should be single use only.
Place reusable sharps in a puncture resistant container for transport to the reprocessing area.
Take care to prevent injuries when using, handling after procedures, cleaning and disposing of sharps.
Avoid recapping used needles. If this is extremely necessary use one handed “ scoop” technique.
Do not remove used needles from disposable syringes by hand.
Use clean or sterile gloves as appropriate during the procedure to prevent blood contamination of hands.
Do not bend, break or otherwise manipulate used needles by hand.
Sharps must not be passed directly from hand to hand.

● Proper disposal of sharps:

Discard sharps directly into a “sharps bin” which is located as close as practical to the area in which the items were used. Discard used sharps immediately and never leave them lying around.
Dispose of the sharp container when it is ¾ full. Never let the sharp bin fill up more than ¾ full.

● Essential features of a sharps bin:

Made of leak proof and puncture proof material which can be incinerated or if an incinerator is not available burnt in a deep pit.
Small opening ( mouth) on the top only sufficient to dispose the used sharps conveniently.
When ¾ full it has to be sealed properly.
Handle should be available to carry it to the site of disposal.

● How to prepare a sharps bin:

If standard sharp bins are not available, an improvised ‘sharp bin’ made of thick cardboard with a features indicated as above could be used.
According the National Colour Coding system in the waste management the sharp bin has to be covered with a yellow paper with a red stripe across the bin.

● How to manage a needle stick injury:

Wash needle stick site properly with soap and running water immediately.
Allow needle spontaneously. Do not squeeze the wound to encourage bleeding.
Inform the infection control unit (Consultant Microbiologist/ MO Microbiology/ Infection Control Nursing Officer )about the incident over the telephone immediately.
Fill in the accident reporting register in the unit with necessary details about the patient and the victim (staff member) and take it to the infection control unit without delay.
Evaluation of the incident, risk assessment,counselling the victim, advice on collecting necessary blood samples and appropriate action need to be done by the Infection control team indicated above immediately ideally with in 02 hours of the incident).
Reporting the incident with in two ( 02) hours of exposure is important for the maximum outcome.

● Accident reporting register:

Information to be included in the accident reporting register are as follows.

Identification of the patient involved – Name, Age, Sex, Identification number, short clinical history, hepatitis B, C and HIV status if available.
Details of the needle sick injury – type of needle, body fluid involved, depth of injury etc.
Hepatitis B vaccination and hepatitis B antibody status of the patient and the victim.
Action taken after the risk assessment.
Signature of the Consultant Microbiologist/ MO Microbiology/ Infection Control Nursing Officer.

Update On Current Medicine