Accidental needlestick injuries in the academic setting: a model follow-up program.

ABSTRACT

Developed in response to needlestick injuries received by university nursing students, a model for initiating a comprehensive faculty and student follow-up treatment program for incidents involving blood and body fluids is presented. Providing an overview of need and risks, the authors review the program components, such as reporting mechanisms, program initiation, use of screening tests, recommended treatment modalities, and a decision-analysis for guiding the process.