Final answer:
Healthcare workers can prevent needle sticks by taking appropriate precautions, such as wearing gloves and using disposable syringes. Post-exposure treatment and disinfection of equipment are also important.
Step-by-step explanation:
Healthcare workers can prevent needle sticks by taking appropriate precautions. This includes wearing gloves and face protection, using disposable syringes and needles, and avoiding contact with body fluids, especially blood. Washing exposed skin with soap and water is recommended, and antiseptics may also be used. Post-exposure treatment, such as hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and vaccination, may be used if there is exposure to the virus from an infected patient. It is also important to disinfect and sterilize equipment that could potentially transmit the virus.