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Occupational Health Program

Occupational Health Program

Needlestick Exposure

Exposure to blood and body fluids, due to needlesticks and splashes, represents real hazards to healthcare workers. Blood and body fluids can be infected with hepatitis or HIV. If you are exposed during the course of your work duties, you should follow a few steps:

  • If you are splashed in the eye, rinse your eye out with water.
  • If you are stuck with a needle, clean the site with soap and water. Alcohol or iodine is also acceptable. The important step is to clean it immediately after exposure.

Next, report the exposure to both Baylor OHP and the institution in which it occurred. OHP provides counseling and follow up. The institution will perform testing on the source patient. Procedures vary by hospital, so follow their instructions. Below are contact details for each institution:

Exposure at Baylor St. Luke’s

  • Immediately wash the area. For eye/mucus membrane exposures, use water. For others, use soap.
  • Document incident using the IRIS reporter (found on The Source on a Baylor St. Luke’s computer).
  • Notify the charge nurse or house supervisor for source patient testing and reporting. Source blood should not be ordered in EPIC.
  • During business hours, source blood is taken to Occupational Health at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center (832-355-6040, 17 Tower Yellow Elevators).
  • If off-site, contact courier at 832-355-3053 for blood delivery.
  • After hours, source blood should be taken to the Lab at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center 1st floor by purple elevators.
  • Contact Baylor OHP at 713-798-7880 regarding prophylaxis and follow up.
  • Baylor OHP can do your baseline testing the next business day and arrange required follow up testing.

Exposure at BCM Locations

  • Contact Baylor OHP at 713-798-7880 regarding prophylaxis and follow up.
  • Baylor OHP can do your baseline testing and arrange required follow up testing.

Exposure at VA Hospital

  • Immediately wash the area. For eye/mucus membrane exposures, use water. For others, use soap.
  • Go to the VAMC Emergency Center for source and baseline testing.
  • Contact VAMC Employee Health (4B room 231, 713-794-7003) for follow up.
  • Contact Baylor OHP at 713-798-7880 for additional follow up.
  • Provide copies of source and your testing results to Baylor OHP for your file.

Exposure at TCH

  • Immediately wash the area. For eye/mucus membrane exposures, use water. For others, use soap.
  • Contact charge nurse for source testing and complete online lab requisition.
  • Contact Texas Children's Employee Health 832-824-2150 (option 1) or on-call 832-824-2099.
  • Report event through RL6 event reporting link (SafetyScoop) on Texas Children's computer homepage.
  • Contact Baylor OHP at 713-798-7880 regarding prophylaxis and follow up.
  • Baylor OHP can do your baseline testing the next business day and arrange required follow up testing.

Exposure at Harris Health (Ben Taub)

  • Immediately wash the area. For eye/mucus membrane exposures, use water. For others, use soap.
  • Arrange for source testing through a unit nurse or clerk using a "downtime" slip for blood borne pathogen panel (HIV antibody, HCV antibody, Hepatitis B surface antigen, RPR).
  • Rapid HIV test results are typically available within two hours.
  • Complete an incident report on the HHS intranet (E-Incident Reporting).
  • If PEP medication is needed, it can be prescribed by the emergency center.
  • Contact Baylor OHP at 713-798-7880 for questions or follow up.
  • Baylor OHP can do your baseline testing the next business day and arrange required follow up testing.

Exposure at Methodist

  • Immediately wash the area. For eye/mucus membrane exposures, use water. For others, use soap.
  • Contact Houston Methodist Employee Health during business hours (7:00am–4:00pm) at 713-441-1391 (Smith Tower, 5th floor).
  • After hours, contact Infection Control at 713-441-4324 or 713-306-7848 or page on-call at 713-404-7106.
  • Have location, source name, and MRN ready for employee health/Infection Control.
  • Contact Baylor OHP at 713-798-7880 regarding prophylaxis and follow up.
  • Baylor OHP can do your baseline testing the next business day and arrange required follow up testing.

Incident Reporting

Informal Pathways for Resolution

We encourage that student complaints be resolved, if possible, by the student and the individual (student, faculty, trainee, and/or staff) most closely related to the complaint. If no resolution is established, the student may ask their supervisor, program director, or dean for assistance.

Formal Pathways for Resolution

If the complaint cannot be informally resolved, the student must be directed to the Integrity Hotline and recommended to file a written appeal or grievance. Students are strongly encouraged to review the Student Appeals and Grievances Policy, the Student Grievances Process, and the Student Appeals and Grievances Training prior to submission of a formal appeal or grievance.

Reports can be filed here: https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/35125/index.html