Chats – community home assistance to seniors

CHATS – COMMUNITY & HOME ASSISTANCE TO SENIORS
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Chief Executive Officer NUMBER: 9-A-10
CATEGORY: Infection Prevention & Revised April 2, 2013

NEEDLE STICK/SHARPS INJURY PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
PURPOSE:
To minimize the risk of exposure to blood borne pathogens that may lead to adverse health
effects for any client, staff, support worker, or volunteer who may be receiving or delivering
services, or participating in programs/services. Safe handling and disposal of sharps is vital to
reducing the risk of exposure to blood borne pathogens.
BACKGROUND:
Recent changes in Ontario regulations assign the responsibility for the collection and disposal
of pharmaceuticals and sharps with the ‘producer' (organization that makes the product). Sharps
containers can be found at 80 % of Ontario Pharmacies. By 2014, 90% of pharmacies will
supply sharps containers and accept sharps (in containers designed for safe handling of sharps)
and all pharmaceuticals for disposal without cost.

POLICY:
To outline responsibilities for practices promoting safe handling of sharps to prevent sharps and
needle stick injuries.
To outline the responsibilities of CHATS staff, support workers or volunteers in the event of a
needle stick or sharps injury from an object contaminated with bodily fluids (e.g. blood) or
object where contamination is unknown.
DEFINITION:
Sharps: any object that has a potential of cutting or penetrating human skin, e.g., lancets, insulin
pens, needles, broken glass, scissors.
PROCEDURE:
Person Responsible
Adult Day Program Personal Support Worker Prevention - Disposal of sharps
Personal/Home Support Worker/HAL Worker 1. Use containers designed for safe handling of sharps for disposal of all sharps a. Used lancets and insulin pens are sources of needle stick injuries. Never place your hand in front of a sharp. Use a tool wherever possible to remove needles. Never recap needles. b. Clinical sharps are single use only. If a client does not dispose of a

CHATS – COMMUNITY & HOME ASSISTANCE TO SENIORS
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Chief Executive Officer NUMBER: 9-A-10
CATEGORY: Infection Prevention & Revised April 2, 2013
lancet or insulin pen needle after one use, instruct the client that you must dispose of the needle or lancet. Advise the client to speak with their physician or diabetes educator regarding their reuse of needles and / or lancets6. Report to the CCS or SS 2. Advise in home clients to obtain a proper container free of charge from their local pharmacy 3. When the sharps container is filled to the marked level, close the container using the closure and place the full container for return to the pharmacy for free and safe disposal
Needles Stick Injury of Staff/Support
Worker
In the case of an incident involving a needle
stick or cut from an unknown object
1. Allow the wound to bleed freely, wash with
soap and clean water and apply a dressing 2. Immediately inform your Coordinator/
Supervisor of your injury 3. Leave work immediately, if advised, to receive medical advice and treatment at the emergency department of the nearest hospital. NOTE: Time is of the essence. Treatment must begin within 1-2 hours after the injury to be most effective 4. If cut is from an object that is not contaminated with blood or bodily fluids, proceed the same as for a client incident ( See Policy 3-D-120)

CHATS – COMMUNITY & HOME ASSISTANCE TO SENIORS
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Chief Executive Officer NUMBER: 9-A-10
CATEGORY: Infection Prevention & Revised April 2, 2013

Person Responsible
Service Supervisor / Client Care Supervisor Prevention
Adult Day Program Supervisor / HAL 1. Ensure a supply of containers designed for Coordinator safe handling of sharps is available for use 2. Ensure a safe disposal process by education 3. Advise In-Home clients to obtain a container designed for safe handling of sharps free of charge from their local pharmacy Needles Stick Injury – Staff/Volunteer
1. Enter record of injury on employee system
file under note topic, Infection Control 2. Complete WSIB Form 7 for paid staff only and occurrence/incident report and report to Joint Health & Safety Committee 3. Document incident in GoldCare following reporting process Outreach Coordinator Needles Stick Injury – Client
Adult Day Program Staff Cut with a known object such as a knife 1. Remove other clients from the surrounding 2. Put on gloves 3. Allow the wound to bleed freely, wash with soap and clean water and apply a dressing 4. Immediately inform your Coordinator/Supervisor of the injury 5. If bleeding cannot be controlled, call 911 6. Call Emergency Contact person 7. Encourage client to see doctor for follow up visit and to receive a tetanus shot 8. Disinfect area with a 1:10 bleach/water 9. Document incident in GoldCare following reporting process 10. Email incident to Infection Control Nurse Specialist and Client Care Supervisor 11. Follow-up with client/caregiver

CHATS – COMMUNITY & HOME ASSISTANCE TO SENIORS
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Chief Executive Officer NUMBER: 9-A-10
CATEGORY: Infection Prevention & Revised April 2, 2013

RESOURCES:
1. CDC. Public Health Service statement on management of occupational exposure to human immunodeficiency virus, including considerations regarding zidovudine post exposure use. MMWR 1990; 39 (no. RR-1). 2. CDC. Recommendations for preventing transmission of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus to patients during exposure-prone invasive procedures. MMWR 1991; 40(no. RR-8). 3. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor. 29 CFR Part 1910.1030, occupational exposure to blood borne pathogens; final rule. Federal Register 1991; 56: 64004-182. 4. Bell DM. Occupational risk of human immunodeficiency virus infection in healthcare workers: an overview. Am J Med 1997; 102 (suppl 5B):9-15. 5. Wasson, D. Needlestick prevention: safe practices for healthcare providers and individuals with diabetes mellitus. Infection Control Resources 1(3); 2-8. 6. Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Policy for the management of sharps, inoculation and needlestick injury. 2011. 7. Ontario Regulation 298/12 made under the Environmental Protection Act. Printed in the Ontario Gazette on Oct. 13, 2012. Collection of Pharmaceuticals and Sharps – Responsibilities of Producers.
OTHER RELATED POLICIES/PROCEDURES/FORMS
Reporting Monitoring and Surveillance of Infections 9-A-30
Infection Prevention & Control Manual 2013
Client Emergency Procedures 3-D-120

Source: http://www.chats.on.ca/documents/Needle%20Stick%20Sharps.pdf