1) If you are STUCK:
If you are stuck by a needle or other sharp or you get blood or other potentially infectious materials in your eyes, nose, mouth, or on broken skin:
1. Wash needle sticks and cuts with soap and water.
2. Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with water.
3. Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile irrigant.
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2) Report the incident immediately to your supervisor or preceptor.
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3) Your supervisor/preceptor (or their delegate) should obtain source blood: one (1) yellow-top tube with SOURCE labels on tube.
Take the source sample with you to treatment for evaluation. Please be sure the source's samples are properly labeled with the source's identifiers to prevent any delays in the lab!
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4) Seek evaluation within 4 hours:
Seek evaluation within 4 hours to up to 72 hours after exposure. Please report to the Employee Health Clinic or Student Health Center during business hours (see top of this webpage for details). You may also report to a UTMB Emergency Room for evaluation (see locations below).
• Galveston Campus Emergency Room: 901 Harborside Drive
• League City Campus: 2240 Gulf Freeway South
• Angleton Danbury Campus: 132 East Hospital Drive
• Clear Lake Campus: 200 Blossom Street
If you are in a remote location, please refer to your agency-specific policy. Information should be posted in designated clinics to inform staff on the locations of kits and general processes for off campus employee exposures.
You should be registered as an “Employee/Student Health Injury” so you are not billed for your visit. Should you receive a bill for care related to your sharps injury, please contact the Employee Health Clinic or Student Health Clinic. Note: Students should report to Student Health for evaluation during business hours.
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• Your blood will be drawn and sent to the Core Laboratory in Galveston for baseline testing.
• HIV testing will be performed on-site for the source specimen. Confirmatory testing (HCV Antibody, HBs Antigen, and HBC Antibody) will be performed at the Core Laboratory in Galveston.
• Click
here to access the Laboratory Requisition Form (PDF) to be used by the exposure evaluating personnel in Emergency Department or Employee/Student Health Clinics.
5) Results:
- Your provider will receive the HIV results of the source within approximately 60 minutes if the test is collected in a UTMB ER. Results may take up to 24 hours if test is collected in a non-UTMB Emergency Room.
- If source is negative for HIV, no prophylaxis will be required (prophylaxis can be delayed up to 72 hours post-exposure while waiting for results).
- If source is positive for HIV or the source sample is unavailable, the first dose of prophylaxis will be immediately administered to you.
- The remainder of the prophylaxis prescription will be issued by the Employee Health Clinic or the ordering provider and should be filled at a UTMB pharmacy (when possible) to assure you receive the prescription at no cost. (Additionally, most local pharmacies may not have the medication in stock.) You must have a valid prescription signed by a physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner.
- Click here to view Medication Schedule.
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6) Action Items:
NOTE: The Employee Health Clinic /Student Health Clinic must maintain separate and confidential medical records related to employee injuries. You have the right to access relevant exposure and medical records and to know how OSHA's standard covers you if you have been exposed to toxic substances or harmful physical agents.
• Students: Contact Student Health
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7) Follow-up:
Employee Health/Student Health clinicians will review the source patient and employee/student test results. They will provide counseling, prophylaxis, or vaccination as indicated, and instructions for any additional follow-up testing or assessment by a specialist.
8) Additional Contact Information:
Healthcare Epidemiology
- Dr. Janak Patel – Medical Director, jpatel@utmb.edu
Employee Health
- Kathleen O'Neill – Director, Employee & Occupational Health, katoneil@utmb.edu
Student Health
- Akinpelu Olawunmi Abiodun (Abi) – UTMB Student Health and Counseling Director, oaakinpe@utmb.edu