43 Safe handling of sharps includes ensuring that sharps

are contained in a safe manner and using proper disposal practices. Sharps injuries can be sustained because sharps are left on the floor or a table or are protruding from a trash bag or disposal container.51 Sharps containers should be puncture and leak resistant and large enough to hold the types of sharps that will need to be placed in them.52 The container should be recognizable, visible, and placed in proximity to the point of use.52 After the container has reached a visible fill level, the container should be replaced.11 Personnel should use counting devices to contain needles and sharps on the sterile field.11 Perioperative RNs can advocate for others through careful use of sharps disposal containers, such as by placing containers close to the point of use, using care when putting sharps into the container, and ensuring the containers Dabrafenib in vivo are not overfilled. Careful identification and separation of contaminated disposable and reusable sharps is important to protect personnel in the decontamination MS-275 nmr area from injury.

Reusable sharps should be clearly segregated on the case cart for easy identification.11 Perioperative RNs should maintain an awareness of personal and professional responsibilities for sharps injury prevention and serve as role models for other team members. This includes observing all local, state, and federal regulations pertaining to handling of sharps and prevention of bloodborne pathogens. Perioperative O-methylated flavonoid RNs can protect themselves by wearing appropriate PPE, getting immunized against hepatitis B virus, using sharps devices

with safety features provided by the health care facility, and complying with other policies and procedures designed to protect against disease transmission. If a perioperative RN sustains a sharps injury, he or she should immediately report the injury and receive prophylactic treatment for bloodborne pathogen exposure. If a team member experiences a sharps injury, the perioperative RN can assist the team member with the reporting process. Perioperative RNs can be leaders in the sharps injury prevention process by being a “champion” of sharps safety. The final four recommendations in each AORN RP document discuss education/competency, documentation, policies and procedures, and quality assurance/performance improvement, as applicable. These four topics are integral to the implementation of AORN practice recommendations. Personnel should receive initial and ongoing education and competency verification as applicable to their roles. Implementing new and updated recommended practices affords an excellent opportunity to create or update competency materials and verification tools. AORN’s perioperative competencies team has developed the AORN Perioperative Job Descriptions and Competency Evaluation Tools 53 to assist perioperative personnel in developing competency evaluation tools and position descriptions.