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Any sharp object that comes in contact with a patient's body fluids may carry infection, so health care workers are at risk of getting an infection such as hepatitis or HIV (the AIDS virus).
Follow the links below to find information about needlestick injuries.
Reviewed January 2009
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| Results 1 to 7 displayed. |
| Title: |
Accidental needle stick injury in public places
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| Publisher: |
Queensland Health
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| Description: |
In the community setting, a needle stick injury usually arises from the accidental puncturing of the skin by a syringe needle left in places such as in parks, playgrounds, laneways or public toilets. Sometimes, when people are walking in these public areas they accidentally step on a needle left there by somebody else. When a person suffers a needle stick injury, there is usually some anxiety and distress. This is a natural response when thoughts of potential blood borne infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and C occur. However, the risk of catching a serious infection as a result of an accidental needle stick injury is very low. This is because these viruses do not survive for long outside of the body. Most community needle stick injuries involve needles that have been discarded for some time.
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| Date: |
Oct 2009
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| Title: |
HIV and AIDS - infection control in hospitals
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Hospitals follow strict infection control guidelines to prevent the spread of HIV to patients. This includes disposing of needles and syringes after one use and sterilising instruments after every use. HIV is a blood borne virus (BBV) that is carried in the blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. Hospital workers can become infected with HIV if they accidentally prick themselves with a needle or other sharp instrument contaminated with HIV, but this is rare.
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| Date: |
Sep 2008
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| Title: |
Needlestick injury
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
A needlestick injury means the skin is accidentally punctured by a used needle. Blood-borne diseases that could be transmitted by such an injury include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV).
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| Date: |
Oct 2007
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| Title: |
Antiretroviral post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for occupational HIV exposure
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| Publisher: |
John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
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| Description: |
This review evaluated the effects of antiretroviral post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for preventing HIV infection following occupational exposure. No randomized controlled trials were identified. Only one case-control study provides evidence for using zi...
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| Date: |
Nov 2006
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| Title: |
Needle-stick injuries in primary care
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| Publisher: |
Australian Prescriber
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| Description: |
Needle-stick injuries in health-care workers are almost completely preventable by improving workplace practices, but when they do occur the consequences for the individual can be serious, regardless of the outcome in terms of infection.
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| Date: |
Aug 2001
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| Title: |
Hepatitis C: the facts - understanding is the answer
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| Publisher: |
Multicultural Health Communication Service (NSW)
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| Description: |
This flyer about hepatitis C describes symptoms, long term effects, how it is spread, prevention, treatment and discrimination.
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| Date: |
Jan 2000
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| Results 1 to 7 displayed. |
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