While getting injured at the workplace is always serious, some workplace injuries require extremely fast response time. In the healthcare setting, many situations place healthcare staff at immediate risk for hazards. Many of these accidents can result in significant health consequences.
Knowing how to respond in the event of injury is critical to your safety. It is a legal requirement in most states to have worker’s compensation insurance so that your rights are protected. Knowing your rights is one thing, but knowing how to proceed in the event of a health-related workplace accident is another.
Suppose you’ve been struck with a needlestick injury. In that case, there are specific steps you’ll need to follow to care for your safety. Read on to discover the important steps to take before and after a needlestick injury, so you’re prepared to make your needlestick injury claims. See more at https://www.employers.com/claims-services/needlestick-injury/.
Steps To Take Before Making Your Needlestick Injury Claims
When it comes to needlestick injuries, specific protocols are in place to ensure safety. Your establishment may already have step-by-step instructions to follow in the event of work-related injuries, but we’ve also provided a breakdown so you’re prepared before making Needlestick injury claims.
Here are the steps you should take following a needlestick injury:
- Immediately following the injury, follow relevant CDC guidelines. Review CDC guidelines for your establishment, so you know how to respond in the case of needlestick accidents.
- Head to the washroom and wash the injured area with soap and water.
- After you’ve washed the affected area and your hands, flush your eyes, nose, and mouth using saline or water to protect against splashes.
- Gather as much information as possible about the person first injected with the needle. You want to rule out possible infections such as HIV and hepatitis.
Time To File Your Needlestick Injury Claim
It is essential to recognize that not all insurance offers the same benefits for needlestick injuries. Find out if your practice is insured with coverage for these emergencies and the benefits that relate to them.
- Call your insurance provider or insurance hotline to report your Needlestick injury claims and discuss the next steps.
- Schedule the blood testing for the employee and the source patient and have both sign an authorization form.
- Get an appointment with your healthcare provider and have them identify and assess your injury as well as provide a treatment plan.
Some of the benefits you may be entitled to after filing your Needlestick injury claims include:
- testing payments for the employee
- reimbursement for the testing costs (this pertains to the source patient specifically)
Not every provider may offer these Needlestick injury claims benefits. Find out your coverage under the medical practice you work for.
Know Important CDC Guidelines
If you are the overseeing manager at your medical practice, ensure your employee is well-trained in following CDC guidelines. You want everyone on shift to respond quickly in the event of these serious workplace injuries and to proceed with reporting Needlestick injury claims correctly. Include CDC training programs or similar protocols as needed to keep your employees aware of the practices that must be followed for the safety of everyone at the medical practice.
Talk To You Provider To See What Benefits You’re Entitled To Receive
The type of needlestick injury you’ve endured may entitle you to certain benefits. You must discuss the specifics of your injury with your provider to learn what benefits you are entitled to. Consider the following scenarios as part of your preventative care plan, and follow up with your lawyer if any of the following scenarios match the specifics of your needlestick injury. Any situations you do not see listed here are still relevant and worth discussing with your lawyer, as a needlestick injury is a serious health hazard.
Here are some common circumstances that occur in the workplace that you may submit Needlestick injury claims for:
- Working fast and bumping into the needle stick injury, or while someone else is holding the object or needle
- Improper (or lack of) sanity workstations and protocols for safety with needles
- Needles are not properly disposed of, resulting in accidents
- Handling used needles
A Word Of Caution
- In a fast-paced environment, significant injuries like needlestick injuries may occur. Even if your establishment has specific protocols, tending to patients and keeping up with urgent responsibilities can lead to human error. In these cases, the risk of accident-related injuries, such as needlestick injuries, is likely.
- Stay aware of possible accidents and take preventive actions to protect yourself and others at the workplace. While you are entitled to file Needlestick injury claims, ideally, you won’t have to deal with these injuries to begin with.
- Stay in touch with manager shift leaders and ask about training implementations for learning the CDC guidelines and reporting Needlestick injury claims. Review anything you are unfamiliar with and have discussions with colleagues about their knowledge of these guidelines.
- The more informed and communicative you can be, the better chance you have at protecting yourself, other staff members, and the medical practice from work-related needlestick injury accidents.
- When accidents occur, follow the CDC guidelines accordingly and do not hesitate to tend to your needs immediately. You want to thoroughly wash the affected area to reduce the likelihood of infection as much as possible.
For Your Safety
Get a second opinion if you are unsatisfied with your medical evaluation. Make sure you report your injury to your employer so that active measures can be taken to get you the worksite injury benefits you are entitled to by filing your Needlestick injury claims. It is also the employers’ job to inform staff of the need to notify the employer of work-related injuries as soon as possible.
Protect Yourself After A Needlestick Injury
Get the workers’ compensation insurance benefits you are entitled to by submitting your Needlestick injury claims. Please take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and those involved to avoid these instances before they occur.
