Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure
UW medical personnel, facilities staff, researchers and students in health sciences programs are at risk for exposure to bloodborne pathogens through a needlestick, sharps injury or mucous membrane exposure. EH&S provides resources and recommendations for treatment and follow-up care following a bloodborne pathogen exposure.
What to do after a bloodborne pathogen exposure or needlestick/sharps injury
If you experienced a needlestick or sharps injury, or were exposed to the blood or other body fluid of another person during the course of your work or training, immediately follow these steps:
- Remove all soiled clothing.
- Wash with soap and water for 15 minutes and/or flush mucous membranes/irrigate eyes with water for 15 minutes.
- Notify supervising staff member.
- Get medical attention. Go to your designated employee health center for guidance, testing and or/prophylaxis.*
- Report the incident within 24 hours:
- UW employees and supervisors use the Online Accident Reporting System (OARS).
- UW Medicine employees working at any medical facility use PSN or the medical facility’s reporting system (do not use OARS).
*If you are not at a UW site, go to the employee health clinic associated with the clinical or practicum site, or to the nearest hospital emergency department.
The health care provider will need:
Insurance and billing for health sciences students
Students who participate in the Health Sciences Immunization Program (i.e., HSIP or myshots) who are seen for a bloodborne pathogen exposure in any healthcare setting, including a hospital emergency department, should submit the charges to their personal insurance, and then follow the steps below:
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Retain an itemized bill of the charges, the explanation of benefits from your insurance company, and a final bill showing the amount still owed after insurance coverage. Within 60 days of the bloodborne pathogen exposure or needlestick/sharps incident, send to HSIP the itemized bills showing the amount not covered by personal insurance with a request for payment.
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If final billing information or receipts are not available, notify HSIP of the incident within 60 days of the BBP exposure and your intent to request reimbursement. Unannounced requests received beyond 60 days following an incident will not be processed.
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Labs ordered outside the UW system should follow the approved laboratory testing schedule on the UW Campus-wide Bloodborne Pathogens Process form to qualify for reimbursement through HSIP. Please note: For baseline labs, it is not necessary to draw the Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) or Hepatitis B Core Antibody (HBcAb) titers if there is a documented history of completed Hepatitis B vaccine series and a positive Hepatitis B Surface Antibody (HBsAb).
Only students who participate in HSIP (and are charged the HSIP health fee) are eligible to apply for bloodborne pathogen exposure reimbursement. Additional information can be found on the Health Sciences Immunization Program page.
If you have questions about reimbursement for expenses related to a BBP exposure or needlestick/sharps incident, please contact HSIP by email at myshots@uw.edu and note in the email subject line: “Reimbursement question” or leave a voice mail message at 206.616.9074.
Routine follow-up laboratory testing, if needed, will be performed three to six weeks and four months after the initial post-exposure visit.
Faculty, staff and health science students who are in the Seattle area when their follow-up visit is needed may contact the UW Employee Health Center for an appointment at 206.685.1026.
- Employees of UW Medical Center should contact the UWMC Employee Health Center at 206.598.4848.
- Employees of Harborview Medical Center should contact the Harborview Employee Health Center at 206.744.3081.
Health science students who are not in the Seattle area should follow-up as directed by their health care provider.
Visit the Employee Health Center webpage to view a complete list of University of Washington and UW Medicine employee health centers.
If a bloodborne pathogen exposure from a needlestick, sharps injury or mucous membrane exposure occurs outside of regular business hours:
- Follow the steps listed above: What to do after a needlestick or sharps injury.
- Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
- Employees: Outside of business hours, call 206.685.UWPD (8973) to be routed to the EH&S staff member on call.
Students (WWAMI): Follow instructions on your specific school or program’s wallet card or website if further consultation with an on-call provider is needed.
