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Safe practice and safe behaviour are the key to avoidance.

• Assume all patients could be HIV positive and act accordingly.
• Make sure you know the universal precautions to take if injury/contamination occurs
• Take such precautions, as far as is possible, if such incidents occur.
• Assume that all blood and body fluids are potentially infective and take necessary precautions
• Ensure you wear gloves and wash your hands after patient contact.
• Think of taking a personal supply of surgical gloves with you so that you can double glove.
• Take a visor or spare pair of glasses to protect your eyes.
• Beware of contaminating any open cuts you might have.
• Take every care to avoid needle stick injuries
• Refuse blood transfusion - unless a dire emergency and you know the donor is HIV free.
• Take a course of anti-retrovirals with you
• They are usually available from your student Occupational Health Department.
• Make sure the drugs are in date and that you know how to use them
• Avoid casual sex
• Don't be paranoid but do take every precaution

Post exposure prophylaxis for occupational exposure to HIV

• Follow normal UK protocols, as far as possible.
• Establish the status of the source patient, if at all possible.
• Start taking ARVs within 2 hours of any high risk injury, if possible, and continue for 28 days.
• Seek UK advice as to whether you should return home sooner rather than later

Did you know that:

The BMA offers a student elective insurance policy, to its members, that includes cover for needle stick injury. See what is on offer at: www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/jointheBMAstudentmembership