You experienced a needlestick injury while injecting local anesthetic to an HIV-positive patient. What is the FIRST step you should take?

According to CDC guidelines, the immediate first step after a needlestick or sharps injury is to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water (or flush mucous membranes with water). This mechanical cleansing removes blood and reduces viral load at the exposure site. After washing, the incident should be reported to the relevant authority and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV should be initiated ideally within 2 hours and no later than 72 hours. Alcohol sanitizer alone is not recommended as the primary first step.