Employee Reporting Instructions

  1. Immediate Action for Exposed Employee
  2. Report the Exposure
  3. Complete Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Form
  4. Obtain Source Patient's Labs – PRIORITY
  5. Lab Results & Follow Up
  6. Emergency Care

  • 1. Immediate Action for Exposed Employee

    • Cleanse the site exposed to blood, wound exudate, semen, vaginal and oral secretions, cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial and/or amniotic fluids for 15 minutes:
      • Wash needle sticks and cuts with soap and water.
      • Flush splashes to the nose, mouth or skin with water.
      • Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline or sterile irrigant.
    • Saliva, vomitus, urine, feces, sweat, tears and respiratory secretions do not transmit HIV (unless visibly bloody). The risk of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C transmission from non-bloody saliva are considered to be negligible.

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  • 2. Report the Exposure

    • Report the incident to your supervisor, charge nurse, or clinical operations administrator (COA).

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  • 3. Complete Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Form

    • Complete and submit the Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Form.
    • If the source patient is known, a Lab Requisition Form will be sent to your work email. This form will be needed to collect and transport the source patient's blood sample to the lab for processing. If the source patient is unknown, a Lab Requisition Form will not be provided. 
    • An Employee Health nurse will contact you no later than noon the next day (including weekends and holidays) to discuss your next steps. 
    • If you are a UTMB employee and want to begin HIV prophylaxis medications before receiving the source patient’s lab results, be sure to select the appropriate option on the form.
      • A prophylaxis prescription and First Fill for Exposure document will also be sent to your work email.
      • Follow the instructions on the First Fill document to receive a prescription e-card to cover the costs of the medications.
      • Print the prophylaxis prescription. Then take both the prophylaxis prescription and prescription e-card to the pharmacy of your choice.
    • If you are not a UTMB employee, reach out to your employer for direction on any bloodwork you may need and/or HIV prophylaxis medications.

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  • 4. Obtain Source Patient's Labs – PRIORITY

    • Print the source patient's Lab Requisition Form that was sent your work email and confirm all the information is correct.
    • Collect the source patient’s blood in an SST (yellow top or tiger top) tube.
    • Clearly label the blood tube with the source patient’s name, date of birth, and medical record number
    • If the source patient’s blood sample is collected in the clinic, spin the sample before transporting it to the lab for processing.
    • Place the printed Lab Requisition Form and labeled blood tube in the lab specimen bag.
    • Tube or courier the source patient’s specimen to the lab. Do not take the specimen to Employee Health. 

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  • 5. Lab Results & Follow Up

    • An Employee Health nurse will contact you no later than noon the next day (including weekends and holidays) with the source patient's lab results. 
    • If the source patient’s blood is negative for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, no additional follow up is needed.
    • If the source patient’s blood is positive, Employee Health will provide counseling on:
      • Collection of your baseline bloodwork.
      • Extension of HIV prophylaxis medications, if appropriate.
      • Follow-up lab schedules.

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  • 6. Emergency Care

    • You do not need to go to the Emergency Department, Urgent Care or Employee Health immediately after the exposure for baseline bloodwork. 
    • Your responses to the Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Form and the source patient’s lab results will provide Employee Health with the information necessary to determine your next steps.

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