What is the recommended practice for needle and sharp instrument safety in the OR?

• A. Recap needles carefully after use to prevent accidental sticks.
• B. Dispose sharps in a general trash container after use.
• C. Pass sharps to another team member handling with bare hands.
• D. Do not recap needles; use safety devices when available; dispose sharps immediately in an approved sharps container; pass safely.

Answer: (D)

Handling sharps safely in the OR centers on minimizing exposure to the sharp end and using protective methods consistently. The best practice is to avoid recapping, use safety devices on instruments whenever available, dispose of used sharps immediately in an approved sharps container, and pass sharps using a safe method rather than handing them directly with bare hands. This approach significantly lowers the risk of needle-stick injuries during use, transfer, and disposal, and it aligns with standard safety guidelines for the operating environment. Recapping increases the risk of injury, disposing in a general trash container creates a dangerous, noncompliant situation, and passing with bare hands elevates exposure—none of these meet the safety standard.