The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a part of the CDC, offers a free, downloadable and adaptable poster which outlines steps staff members should take in the event of a sharps injury.
The poster, titled "What to Do After an Injury," provides the following steps:
- Wash the wound immediately with soap and water
- Flush splashes with water
- Seek prompt treatment
- Report the incident as soon as possible!
- Discuss the risk of infection based on the circumstances of the injury
The poster is a resource of the NIOSH STOP STICKS Campaign, which was developed to raise awareness of the dangers of sharps injuries and to provide tools so that others can conduct their own campaign in order to reduce the number of sharps injuries.
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The poster is designed in a PowerPoint format so organizations can insert their facility logo and contact information.
Download the NIOSH needlestick injury response poster (pptx) for adaptation and use in your facility. Use it along with the NIOSH "Reporting = Prevention" poster to ensure a variety of eye-catching educational posters on needlestick injury response and prevention.
Note: View our database providing 100-plus reports that link to free, downloadable and adaptable tools for use in surgery centers, hospitals and other organizations by clicking here.
Related Articles on Needlestick Safety:
Rates of Sharps, Needlestick Injuries Unchanged Over 10-Year Span, Study Shows
Infection Prevention Checklist for Outpatient Settings From CDC
NIOSH Launches New STOP STICKS Campaign Website