Question

What immediate steps should be taken when a sterile needle penetrates a sterile team member's glove?

1) Remove the needle and replace the glove
2) Continue working with the needle in the glove
3) Ignore the incident and continue working
4) Report the incident to the supervisor

Answer 1

Immediately remove the needle and replace the contaminated glove, then report the incident to a supervisor. This is critical for maintaining a sterile environment and ensuring patient and staff safety.

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate response when a sterile needle penetrates a sterile team member's glove is immediately removing the needle and addressing the breach in sterility. In this scenario, step 1) Removing the needle and replacing the glove would be the correct action. The contaminated needle presents a biohazard risk and could expose the team member to infections, fluid-borne diseases, or other contaminants. Procedures in a clinical setting are guided by aseptic techniques to maintain sterility and reduce the risk of infection. Promptly replacing the compromised glove with a new sterile one is critical, and it's essential to report the incident to the supervisor as per institutional protocols to manage any potential risks.

For the safety of both patients and staff, all healthcare workers must follow established infection control protocols, which include actions to take when sterility is compromised. Instruments and materials that have come into contact with biological hazards must be handled appropriately, according to safety guidelines, including proper disposal in biohazard containers and decontamination, if applicable.