Management of Needlestick & Contamination Injuries - Royal ...

HIV TESTING: PRE TEST DISCUSSION?After a needlestick injury or exposure to blood/body fluids it is important to inform the source(usually a patient) of the following:1. It is standard hospital policy after every blood exposure, regardless of perceived risk, to askthe ‘source’ patient to have an HIV test. This is a Dept. of Health recommendation.2. Their blood will be tested for hepatitis B & C and HIV. It is important to make it clear that anHIV test will be done and to get the patient’s consent .This should include permission toshare the result with the HCW affected and occupational health.3. Discuss any possible risk factors and assess degree of risk.Check whether they have been at risk in the previous 6 weeks and explain the windowperiod.4. Explain benefits of testing. A negative result provides reassurance. A positive result willenable timely treatment and improve prognosis.Explain what a negative result means. (If high risk they should have a repeat test in 6months).5. A clear plan for informing the patient of the result of the tests must be made. The patientshould be reassured that if the test is positive there will be support and advice available.6. Reassure about confidentiality.Reassure that testing itself has no impact on life insurance.Provide information about the transmission of the HIV virus and the principles of safer sex.7. This pre-test discussion must be recorded in the notes and signed and dated.It is also useful if this is recorded on the microbiology request form.If the source has left hospital before the needlestick injury pathway is completed, the Trustmust make every effort to contact the patient. There is no legal defence unless it can beshown that every effort has been made to protect the staff member. Written legibleevidence should be in the Occupational Health record of the staff member and in thepatients’ medical records.RBCHOCCHEALTH\DATA\WS\POLICIES\NEEDLESTICKPOLICY\SHARPS POLICY\VERSION 6 LP 2011Page 21 of 33