NEEDLESTICK PROGRAM

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ABOUT

Needlesticks are exposures to blood and other body fluids caused by an accidental stick with a sharp object. Health care workers, emergency response and public safety personnel, and other workers can be exposed to blood through needlestick and other sharps injuries, mucous membrane, and skin exposures. The pathogens of primary concern are the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Workers and employers are urged to take advantage of available engineering controls and work practices to prevent exposure to blood and other body fluids.

West Virginia hospitals, long term care facilities, home health agencies, and local health departments are required to report needlestick and sharp object injuries to the Needlestick Injury Prevention Program. This website serves as a resource for these facilities to obtain reporting forms and instructions, legislation, and a directory of companies providing safety devices that are designed to prevent percutaneous injuries in a health care setting.

DOES MY FACILITY NEED TO REPORT?

West Virginia Legislative Rule 64CSR82 and West Virginia Code §16-36 establish specific standards and procedures concerning needlestick injury prevention in the following facilities:

All hospitals licensed under the provisions of §16-5B-1
All long term care facilities licensed under the provisions of §16-5C-1
Every local health department
Every home health agency certified by the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification
All hospitals and nursing homes operated by the state or any agency of the state
All hospitals, nursing homes, local health departments, and home health agencies which are staffed in whole or in part by public employees

Compliance with these rules is a condition of licensure. If your facility falls into one of the categories above, please contact the Needlestick Injury Prevention Program at needlestickreporting@wv.gov to obtain a facility code and a reporting packet containing all required reporting forms.