In the emergency department you sustain a needlestick from a used needle while clearing a tray, with a small puncture that bleeds slightly. The source patient is still in the room and the exposure control plan is posted at the nurses station. Which immediate sequence best follows the exposure control plan after occupational exposure?

The correct sequence reflects the exposure control plan immediate actions after percutaneous exposure: thorough washing of the puncture with soap and running water to reduce inoculum without aggressive squeezing or tissue trauma, immediate notification of the supervisor to activate reporting and documentation, and prompt referral for medical evaluation of both worker and source for HIV, HBV and HCV risk, counseling, baseline testing and consideration of post-exposure prophylaxis within hours. The antiseptic-and-bandage approach fails on decontamination because topical alcohol and covering do not substitute for mechanical flushing with soap and water and can irritate the wound without added protective benefit. The source-workup-first approach fails on reporting timeliness because source assessment and testing are essential downstream steps but must not delay immediate supervisor notification needed to coordinate consent, laboratory orders, prophylaxis logistics and workers compensation records. The routine-next-clinic approach fails on urgency because exposure evaluation is emergent rather than routine preventive care, given the narrow window for HIV prophylaxis efficacy and need for early hepatitis management and follow-up testing. An exam caveat is that the source still being present and the plan being posted are facilitators for evaluation, not reasons to finish cleaning, retrieve documents or await results before washing and reporting. A practical check is to note exposure time, device type, depth, bleeding, source identifiers and hepatitis B vaccination status while proceeding directly to washing and the designated evaluation site without completing other tray or room tasks first.