Skip to content

Disposal of Special Waste

Requires special waste that Agency staff generate while providing home health services, such as used needles and blood-soaked dressings, to be contained, handled, and disposed of under the Texas special waste rules, and requires the Agency to give every patient both spoken and written instructions on how to dispose of sharps at home.

Preview: full text with a package
About this policy
Policy number
TX-HH-IC-03
Version
1.0
Main rule
26 TAC §558.286
Library
Texas home health · 56 policies
Category
Infection control
Sections
16

In short

  • Put used needles and lancets into a sharps container right away. Never put a loose sharp in the trash.
  • Close and lock a sharps container when it is three-quarters full and follow the Agency’s pickup arrangement.
  • Bag items soaked with blood or body fluids in a labeled biohazard bag. Ordinary used gloves and wipes can go in a tied bag in the household trash.
  • Every patient who uses sharps at home must get spoken and written instructions on how to dispose of them. Write down that you gave them.
  • If you find a loose needle, use gloves, pick it up by the barrel, and put it in a sharps container. Report it the same day.

What's inside

16 sections. The full text comes with the One-time Policy Pack.

Full text with a package
  • Terms of Reference
  • 1. Purpose
  • 2. Scope
  • 3. Definitions
  • 4. Policy Statement (26 TAC §558.286)
  • 5. Waste Agency Staff Generate in the Home
  • 6. Sharps the Patient or Family Uses
  • 7. Loose Sharps Found in the Home
  • 8. Collection, Transport, and Treatment
  • 9. Responsibilities
  • 10. Records and Compliance Monitoring
  • 11. Staff Training
  • 12. References
  • 13. Related Policies and Forms
  • 14. Approval
  • 15. Revision History

An inspector may ask

  • What do your nurses do with a used needle after giving an injection in the home?
  • Show me the spoken and written sharps disposal instructions you gave this patient.

See Cura Core with your agency's name on it.

Choose your state and type of agency, buy your Policy Pack online and get your sign-in by email. Already a customer? Sign in to your portal.

Get startedSign in