Post Exposure Procedures for Employees
Post Exposure Procedures involving needle stick or other potential exposure to a bloodborne pathogen by an employee, student intern or assigned volunteer.
-
Steps
Immediate measures to be taken
- Lightly wash needlestick/cut exposed area with soap and water for five minutes.
- Flush nose, mouth or skin with water for five minutes.
- Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline or sterile irrigants for 15 minutes.
Reporting requirements
- Notify your instructor, faculty member and Human Resources (801-626-6184 or marisasalazar@weber.edu).
- Initiate incident reporting ("Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Form" and "Supervisor's Report of Incident Form").
Evaluate the mode(s) of exposure
For transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) to occur, an exposure must include both:
1. Infectious body fluid: blood, semen, vaginal fluid, amniotic fluid, breast milk, cerebrospinal fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid and synovial fluid can transmit HIV, HBV and HCV.
2. A portal of entry (percutaneous, mucous membrane, cutaneous with non-intact skin).
If both of these factors are not present, there is no risk of bloodborne pathogen(s) transmission and further evaluation is not required.
Evaluation
Source Patient (SP)
Rapid testing should be performed whenever possible. Rapid testing can give results within 3-4 hours and is specific and sensitive enough to be used for preliminary decision making. Have the Source Patient fill out the “Source Individual’s Consent or Refusal” form.
If the Source Patient consents to testing and you are at a facility that has testing capabilities, then the facility should initiate the rapid test of the SP. If the SP consents, but is not at a facility that has testing capabilities, then the SP can go to IHC WorkMed (801-387-6150) and inform them they are a source patient in an occupational blood exposure event covered by Weber State University’s (WSU) Workers’ Compensation Fund Insurance. If the SP refuses to be tested or if the SP is unknown, then follow the Exposed Person procedures.
Exposed Person (EP)
- If the Source Patient is positive for HBV and the Exposed Person has been previously vaccinated (with a positive titer test) then no further testing or treatment is required. Follow-up with WorkMed is recommended.
- If the SP is positive or the SP is unknown, an initial screening must occur within three days. Inform WorkMed that you were involved in an occupational blood exposure covered by WSU’s Workers’ Compensation Fund Insurance. The EP is covered for baseline testing, counseling concerning risk, health and relationships, as well as follow-up testing. The WorkMed provider will work with the EP on the frequency of any additional care.
- If no bloodborne pathogen(s) exposure occurred, or the SP is confirmed negative on rapid testing, no baseline testing is clinically indicated for the EP.
- Refer billing questions to Human Resources at 801-626-6184, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
Post-exposure Prophylaxis is recommended whenever the SP tests positive. If the SP is unable to be tested, PEP is generally not warranted and the decision to take PEP should be individualized following a shared decision-making process based on accurate risk assessment, provider recommendations, and the
EP’s preferences.If PEP is recommended, it should be started immediately for HIV (no later than 72 hours) and within seven days for HBV. There is no PEP for HCV.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
If a pregnant person is exposed, starting PEP should be based on considerations similar to those of nonpregnant exposed persons. Typically, the benefits of PEP outweigh the potential risk of infant and maternal Antiretroviral (ARV) medication exposure. Regardless, a pregnant person should discuss this with their physician and alternate PEPs can be decided. Breastfeeding is not a contraindication for PEP. However, an exposed person who is breastfeeding
should discuss this with their physician. -
Forms
Inform Human Resources of your exposure as soon as possible at 801-626-6184.
Complete the following forms within 24 hours of your exposure and send a copy to Human Resources via email, HR@weber.edu.Supervisors Report of Incident
Bloodborne Pathogens Post Exposure Procedures
Incident Information Form for Occupational Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure
ƒh2