What is the first action a healthcare worker should take after a needlestick injury?

• A. Wash the affected area with soap and water.
• B. Apply an antiseptic and cover the wound.
• C. Continue working and report later.
• D. Ignore the injury if no blood is seen.

Answer: (A)

Immediately washing the affected area with soap and water is the first action because it physically removes potentially contaminated material from the skin, reducing the amount of virus that could enter the body. This simple cleansing lowers the infection risk before any other steps are taken. After cleansing, the next actions are to report the incident and seek medical evaluation to determine exposure risk and whether post-exposure prophylaxis is indicated. Delaying cleansing by continuing to work or ignoring the injury increases the chance of infection, and applying antiseptics or just covering the wound is not a substitute for the initial thorough wash.