Introduction to Sharps Awareness

Introduction to Sharps Awareness

This Introduction to Sharps Awareness course is aimed at anyone who may come into contact with sharps waste whilst performing their day to day working activities. This ranges from people working in healthcare to those in waste disposal with a wide range of other

Knowledge of the dangers associated with sharps, safe handling techniques and use of appropriate PPE will help you to protect yourself from danger. CPD approval means that this course can be used by those that need to prove they are continually developing themselves.

There is a common misconception that sharps injuries are only of concern to medical and care staff. However it is not uncommon for people in other industries, such as waste disposal, to come into contact with used sharps. In this course we’ll start by looking at some statistics relating to discarded needles. We define ‘sharps’ and look at the different types that can be found in ‘sharps litter’; ranging from needles, syringes and scalpel blades to broken glass, knives, scissors and nails. It then covers the primary and secondary risks from sharps. It’ll look at the responsibilities of
employers and how they must use risk assessment to ensure workers safety, as much as possible. Then, the course will take a detailed look at Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV and Tetanus.

The section on the Chain of Infection, helps you to understand how an infection gets passed on, and what steps can be taken to break the chain and stop the process. It looks at the probability of picking up an infection from a needle stick injury, and the factors that can affect this. It’s important to always handle discarded sharps safely so the course will take you through the
equipment you need, including litter pickers, forceps, disinfectant sprays and gloves, along with the correct techniques you should employ to avoid injury. This subject will be further expanded on by detailing the correct sharps handling procedures, including how to dispose of discarded sharps safely, how to remove disposable gloves to minimise cross-contamination, and correct hand washing procedures.

Finally, it’ll cover how to report discarded sharps and the correct procedures to follow if you’re unlucky enough to receive a sharps injury.

There are a lot of courses in our health and safety and health and social care suites that would make great follow ups to this course and if you are in the adult social care sector then they would all provide valuable additions to your knowledge. Specific topics that compliment this directly are Diabetes Awareness and Introduction to Personal Safety for Lone Workers.

Course syllabus includes:

• Sharp Safety, the Basics
• Needle stick Injuries
• The Chain of Infection
• Chances of Infection
• Equipment
• Safe Handling Procedures

Certificate in Introduction to Sharps Awareness:

• PDF format certificates are issued as standard, as soon as you complete the course.

Course duration:

• The course includes around 55 minutes of video lead learning.

Test:

• This Introduction to Sharps Awareness course is tested online & you’ll need to gain a minimum of 70% in each of the modules to pass.
• There are short tests throughout to help cement your learning.
• You will undertake a multiple choice exam at the end of the course.

Pre-requisites:

• We recommend that you have a reasonable understanding of English & maths (e.g. GCSE grade D/Level 1) before undertaking this course.

Candidates:

• Purchase a place for yourself, or purchase a bundle for your colleagues.

Geographical coverage:

• The Introduction to Sharps Awareness course is available to candidates in the UK.
• The course can be delivered in other countries. Candidates should be aware that the content was developed in accordance with current UK practice, protocols & guidance.

Venue:

• The Introduction to Sharps Awareness course can be run on any electronic device. We recommend that a laptop/desktop is used to ensure that you can see the screen clearly.

Joining instructions:

• Shortly after you purchase your place on the course, we will email you your login details for the course.
• Visit this page to read the course joining instructions including everything you need to know about our e-learning courses.

Links:

• NHS – Needle Stick Injuries