Blood & Body Fluid Exposures
An occupational exposure to blood and/or body fluid should be treated with medical urgency and evaluated by a specially trained health care practitioner. If medications are prescribed to treat exposure to HIV, the optimal start time is within one to two hours of that exposure. Please report exposures to MCV Student Health so we can provide you with appropriate care and follow-up of these injuries.
If a student experiences a blood or body fluid exposure, they should:
- Immediately wash the site for 5 minutes with soap and water or flush eyes with normal saline or tap water for 15 minutes (remove and discard contact lenses)
- Report the injury to a supervisor
- Obtain a medical history on the source patient and have blood specimens drawn: HIV, Hepatitis B surface Antigen, Hepatitis C antibody & Hepatic panel. (Previously drawn labs are acceptable if dated in the past 30 days, the source patient's verbal assurance of being disease free is not acceptable in any situation.)
- Contact or go to MCV Student Health, 828-9220, 1000 East Marshall, Room 305 (MCV Student Health will always be available for consultation. Students rotating at locations greater than 30 minutes from MCV campus should receive initial evaluation and testing at the away site via arrangements made prior to rotation by the Program's Director.)
- Complete incident report form (as appropriate for each location)
Injury during work hours Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
MCV Student Health
(804) 828-9220
1000 East Marshall Street, Room 305
Injury after work hours, weekends and holidays
Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Team
- Pager — Dial *60 on any hospital or university phone, then dial 4508 and leave your call back number.
- From an outside phone — Dial 828-4999, then dial 4508 and leave your call back number.
The PEP Team will provide immediate phone counseling and medications if warranted, and then report to MCV Student Health the next work day for labs and follow-up.