EMI Guidelines – needlesticks, sexual exposure, human bites
Guidelines for the emergency management of injuries, such as needlesticks, sexual exposure and human bites, are now available at www.emitoolkit.ie. The guidelines relate mainly to injuries where there is a risk of transmission of bloodborne viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. They are based on best available evidence and expert opinion. Settings where the guidance may be particularly useful are emergency departments, occupational health departments, STI clinics, sexual assault units, dental practice, and general practice.
The management guidelines cover first aid, risk assessment, testing, treatment, patient information and follow-up, records and documentation. The appendices include patient management forms, algorithms to guide management of specific incidents, guidelines on post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV and hepatitis B, testing schedules, patient information leaflets and sample referral letters. They also contain detailed background information on the epidemiology and transmission risks of hepatitis B and C and HIV.
The document will shortly be presented as a user-friendly toolkit with separate access to individual parts of the guidelines. In this way, the user will be able to rapidly and easily access the relevant algorithms, forms, leaflets and background material in an emergency.