Overview

The new WHO guidelines provide recommended steps for safe phlebotomy and reiterate accepted principles for drawing, collecting blood and transporting blood to laboratories/blood banks.

The main areas covered by the toolkit are:

• bloodborne pathogens transmitted through unsafe injection practices;
• relevant elements of standard precautions and associated barrier protection;
• best injection and related infection prevention and control practices;
• occupational risk factors and their management.

Contents

• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Acronyms
• 1. Background
  • 1.1 Unsafe injection
  • 1.2 Purpose and scope
  • 1.3 Target audience
  • 1.4 Bloodborne virus transmission
  • 1.5 Prevention strategies
• 2. Best practices for injection
  • 2.1 General safety practices
  • 2.2 Injection devices and medications
  • 2.3 Prevention of sharps injuries to health workers
  • 2.4 Waste management
• 3. Best practice in phlebotomy and blood collection
  • 3.1 Potential effects of unsafe phlebotomy
  • 3.2 Background information on best practices in phlebotomy
  • 3.3 Practical guidance on best practices in phlebotomy
  • 3.4 Illustrations for best practices in phlebotomy
• 4. Occupational risks and management of bloodborne pathogens
  • 4.1 Basic occupational health care
  • 4.2 Prevention of needle-stick injuries and other blood exposures using a hierarchy of controls
  • 4.3 Overview of management of exposure to blood
  • 4.4 Evaluation and management of exposure to HBV
  • 4.5 Evaluation and management of exposure to HCV
  • 4.6 Management of exposure to HIV
• References
• Annex A Indications for glove use in health care
• Annex B Disassembly of needle from syringe or other devices
• Glossary

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