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University Health Service University of Sydney |
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Exposure Prone Procs |
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Exposure prone procedures (EPPs) Those procedures characterised by the potential for direct contact between the skin (usually finger or thumb) of the Health Care Worker or Student and sharp surgical instruments, needles or sharp tissues (spicules of bone or teeth) in body cavities or in poorly visualised or confined body sites (including the mouth). Provided they are not conducted in poorly visualised or confined body sites, the following procedures are not considered to be exposure prone – oral, vaginal or rectal examinations that do not involve sharp instruments; phlebotomy; administering intramuscular, intradermal or subcutaneous injections; needle biopsies or aspirations; lumbar punctures; venous cutdown and angiographic procedures; excision of epidermal or dermal lesions; suturing of superficial skin lacerations; endoscopy; placing and maintaining peripheral and central intravascular lines, nasogastric tubes, rectal tubes and urinary catheters; acupuncture; other procedures that do not involve sharps; or procedures where the use of sharps is superficial, well visualised, and administered to compliant or anaesthetised patients. |
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