Your best protection is to always wear disposable gloves. You can buy these gloves in a drug store or medical equipment store.
Throw away any used needles or sharp lancets used for blood testing into a sharps container. You can buy these sturdy, non-recyclable containers at a medical equipment store or you can use a heavy-duty laundry detergent bottle.
Launder the soiled linens separate from regular linens or clothes. When you remove the linens from the bed, place them in a plastic bag. When it is time to launder, remove the linens from the bag while wearing disposable gloves. Wash the soiled linens separately in the washer and add some chlorine bleach to the wash cycle. Dry the linens in your regular clothes dryer.
Wash the injured area with soap and water and rinse well. The chance of you getting HIV is very low, but call your doctor. The doctor may decide to have you tested for HIV. If you know the person you are caring for has HIV, get a “baseline” blood test before you provide care so that future blood tests can be compared to the baseline.
Medline Plus. A Service of the United States National Library of Medicine
Provides information on a variety of health topics, including hepatitis and HIV.
visit: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus
The Occupational Health And Safety Administration
A division of the United States Department of Labor. OSHA’s mission is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. The website has information about how to prevent accidental needle sticks.