This document discusses safe practices for managing sharps in healthcare settings. It defines sharps as needles, blades, and other instruments that can cut or pierce skin. Injuries from sharps often occur during procedures when equipment is passed between workers, during recapping of needles, or from sharps left in unintended places. The document recommends eliminating or reducing sharps use when possible. It also provides guidance on using safety-engineered devices, safe practices during injections and procedures, careful clean up and disposal of sharps, and responding appropriately to sharps injuries. The overall message is that adhering to safe sharps handling practices and policies can help prevent injuries for healthcare workers.

1. Sharps Management
Presenter : Yvonne Mutia

2. Definition
Sharps' are needles, blades
(such as scalpels) and
other medical instruments
that are necessary for
carrying out healthcare
work and could cause an
injury by cutting or
pricking the skin.

3. Injuries Related to Work Place Practices
Injuries occur because of the following:
Passing or transferring equipment
Recapping contaminated needles
Colliding with coworkers
Decontaminating/processing used equipment
Injuries occur from sharps left in unusual places:
Laundry
Mattresses
Tables, trays, or other surfaces

4. What Strategies Exist to Eliminate
Sharps Injuries?
 Eliminate or reduce the use of needles and other sharps
 Use devices with safety features to isolate sharps
 Use safe practices to minimize risk for hazards

5. Safe Injection
 An injection that
does not harm the recipient,
does not expose the provider to any avoidable risk,
 and does not result in any waste that is dangerous for other people.
 WHO estimates that at least 50 percent of all injections are unsafe.
 This poses serious health risks to recipients, HCWs, and the public

6. Sharps Safety Continum
Prepare to use the device the moment the sharps are
first exposed
Take precautions while using sharps
Take precautions during cleanup
Take precautions during disposal

7. Contd’
• Be prepared
• Be aware
• Dispose with care

8. Be Prepared
Before beginning a procedure
Organize equipment at the point of use
Make sure work space has adequate lighting
Keep sharps pointed away from the user
Locate a sharps disposal container, or have one nearby
Assess the patient’s ability to cooperate
Get help if necessary
Ask the patient to avoid sudden movement

9. Be aware
During the procedure
Maintain visual contact with sharps during use
Be aware of staff nearby
Control the location of sharps to avoid injury to yourself and others
Activate safety feature of devices with engineered sharps injury
prevention features as soon as procedure is completed
Observe audible or visual cues that confirm the feature is locked in
place

10. Clean up and Dispose With Care
During clean up
Be accountable for sharps you use
Check procedure trays, waste materials, and bedding for exposed
sharps before handling
Look for sharps/equipment left behind inadvertently
Transport reusable sharps in a closed container
Secure the container to prevent spillage

11. Clean up and Dispose With Care
While disposing sharps
Inspect container
Keep hands behind sharps
Never put hands or fingers into sharps container
If you are disposing sharps with attached tubing
Be aware that tubing attached to sharps can recoil and lead to
injury Maintain control of both tubing and the device during
disposal

12. Clean up and Dispose With Care
• After disposing sharps
Visually inspect sharps container for overfilling
Replace containers before they become overfilled
Keep filled containers for disposal in a secure area
If you find improperly disposed sharps
Handle carefully
Keep hands behind sharps at all times
Use mechanical device if you cannot safely pick up sharps by hand

13. Conclusion
Preventing Sharps Injuries
Your Role

14. • Adhere to safe practices and assist and support coworkers
in safer practices
• Report injuries or blood/body fluid exposures, sharps
injury hazards, and near misses
• Participate in training for devices and properly use sharps
safety features
• Participate in surveys (e.g., safety culture) and device
evaluations
You are Part of the Prevention Process when
you

15. Sharps Injury Policy- Avenue Group
 To ensure safe handling of skin piercing objects e.g. needles andinstruments.
 Sharps (needles, scalpels, etc.) shall be handled with extreme cautionto avoid
injuries during use or disposal.
 After a sharp injury:
 Wash the area with running water
 Gather the information of the patient
 Report to the supervisor
 Write an incident form plus WIBA form

16. Contd’
The supervisor will send an email to the WIBA approvals
groups email
If its a new case , the ESG officer has to approve first, then
Finance extends the validity for the account
The Hr manager/ Jackson then ammends the account and
responds to the reception teaam
If the case is ongoing- ESG officer does not need to approve.
The process continues from finance

17. Seek medication attention at the OPD
Perform HIV test, hepatitis B and C
Incase youre starting on PEP- do UECs

18. Always Handle Sharps With Care
Have a safe day