Needlestick Policy and Procedure

All WVU medical students must complete yearly OSHA training and education regarding needlestick/sharps procedures and prevention of bloodborne pathogens. The course is now available on line as a course called OSHA.

Each rotation site for students should have a working needlestick/sharps policy in place.

If a student is stuck with a needle or has other percutaneous exposure to blood or body fluids, the student must first wash the injury site with soap and water.

The student must immediately notify the site/rotation physician supervisor of the exposure. If the exposure occurs on a campus of CAMC, the Employee Health Office should be notified immediately. Consent will be obtained and blood drawn from the index person to include: (gold top tube for Hep B-SAg, HIV-Ab, HepC-Ab, RPR) and the student.
West Virginia Emergency Rule 64 is in effect stating that if the index person refuses and blood is already available in the lab, it may be used without consent for HIV testing.
Make sure the blood is properly labeled with the patient’s identification.

The student will then call the WVU Dean On Call. Ruby Pager #0673.
Student may place the call by one of three methods:

1. Direct call- enter 103- enter pager 0673-enter number to be called,
2. Local call- dial 598-4789- enter pager 0673, enter number to call, or
3. Long distance- dial 1-800-982-6277 (MARS line)

The Dean will assist in the notification of the appropriate medical care providers (Employee Health Office or Emergency Department) that the student is reporting to them for initiation of exposure to Blood Borne Pathogen Protocol and ensure that the plan is working smoothly. The Dean will make sure that the student is appropriately excused from rotation to complete this workup.

The student may call the WVU Infectious Disease specialist on call.

• Local call- dial paging operator 598-4000, ask for ID Faculty on call.
• Long distance- call MARS line 1-800-982-6277, ask for ID Faculty on call.

The ID specialist will assess the risk for injury and infection and the need to begin medicine. It is important that this be done quickly so that should medication be indicated, it may begin immediately.

The student will return to home campus immediately (Morgantown or Charleston) per instructions of the ID specialist or employee health personel. The student will bring the index blood samples to be tested in the home campus hospital laboratory if the exposure happens off campus. The parent hospital will absorb the cost of the initial screening of the student through their respective employee health system.

Upon arrival at the appropriate site, the student will then be evaluated by the following:

• WVUH Employee Health M-F 6:30am- 5:00pm (no holidays)
• Ruby Emergency Department- all other times

CAMC: Students rotating through a CAMC hospital or clinic should contact the Employee Health Service at that hospital campus of the exposure. They are open Monday through Friday 7 AM to 4 PM. At all other times there is an Employee Health Nurse on call which can be reached via the same numbers:

• General Hospital Division: 388-7591
• Memorial Hospital Division: 388-5520
• Women & Children's Hospital Division: 388-2155

The Health Care providers will obtain the appropriate antiviral medication if indicated, reassess the student for risk factors, immunize if indicated, and treat any wounds.