26.2.3 Recapping used needles

Although you should not recap needles routinely, you may need to recap a needle to avoid carrying an unprotected sharp when immediate disposal is not possible, or if an injection is delayed because a child is agitated. If it does become necessary for you to recap a used needle, follow the one-handed recapping technique (also called the single-handed scoop method) illustrated in Figure 26.5.

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Figure 26.5  The ‘one-handed’ technique for recapping a needle. (Photos: courtesy of Sister Atsede Kebede and Kerry Murphy)