A nurse is preparing to perform venipuncture and dispose of the used hollow-bore needle. For each action, select the best classification.
Matrix
Choose your responses, then check the answer.
Explanation
Use hand hygiene, anticipated-exposure PPE, the needle safety feature, and immediate disposal into an appropriate sharps container. Never routinely recap, bend, shear, or remove a contaminated needle. If recapping is unavoidable, use a one-handed scoop or mechanical device per the exposure-control plan.
Quick answer Use standard precautions, activate the safety feature, and discard the entire device immediately into a closable puncture-resistant sharps container. Routine two-handed recapping is unsafe.
Why this is correct Used hollow-bore needles can transmit bloodborne pathogens. Engineering controls, PPE selected for anticipated exposure, and immediate point-of-use disposal reduce handling and prevent percutaneous injury.
Easy analogy or mental picture A used sharp has one safe destination: directly from the hand into the nearby protected container, with no extra handoff or manipulation.
Memory hook Activate, do not manipulate, dispose immediately.
NCLEX decision rule Do not recap, bend, shear, break, or remove contaminated needles unless no alternative is feasible or a specific procedure requires it. When recapping is unavoidable, follow the exposure-control plan and use a one-handed scoop or mechanical device.
Why the other choices are wrong Two-handed recapping brings a hand toward the contaminated point. Overfilling a container or reaching inside it creates another avoidable sharps exposure.
Source
1OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens General Guidance
2OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Worker Protections
32026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan
The nurse uses standard precautions and an engineered sharps-safety device. The exposure-control plan specifies what to do only when recapping is clinically unavoidable and provides puncture-resistant sharps containers at the point of use.
Engineering control — A device or equipment change that isolates or removes a bloodborne-pathogen hazard, such as a needle safety feature.
Sharps container — A closable, puncture-resistant, leak-resistant, and appropriately labeled or color-coded container for contaminated sharps.
One-handed scoop technique — A recapping method that keeps the free hand away from the needle and is used only when recapping is unavoidable.