ABSTRACT
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Timely postexposure prophylaxis is important after an occupational exposure. Here we review select organisms, exposure opportunities in the healthcare setting, and postexposure prophylaxis regimens. RECENT FINDINGS: Needlestick injuries pose a risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens, such as HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Risk mitigation strategies should be reexamined in light of newer vaccines and therapeutics. Increased vaccine hesitancy and vaccine denialisms may foster the re-emergence of some infections that have become extremely uncommon because of effective vaccines. With increasing occurrences of zoonotic infections and the ease of global spread as evidenced by COVID-19 and mpox, healthcare exposures must also consider risks related to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. SUMMARY: Early recognition and reporting of occupational exposures to pathogens with available postexposure prophylaxis is key to mitigating the risk of transmission. Providers should be able to evaluate the exposure and associated risks to provide prompt and appropriate postexposure prophylaxis.
Subject(s)
Health Personnel , Occupational Exposure , Post-Exposure Prophylaxis , Humans , Post-Exposure Prophylaxis/methods , Occupational Exposure/prevention & control , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional/prevention & control , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19/transmissionABSTRACT
Background: Diabetes Mellitus is a long duration disease, and if a person with diabetes is infected with a blood-borne infectious disease and proper syringe disposal practices are not followed, they run the danger of transmitting the infection to others for a very long period. Whereas fewer research has been done in China on the handing of sharp objects at home. Therefore, there is a need to translate and localize the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice Questionnaire regarding sharp disposal for diabetic patients to assess the current level of patient knowledge, attitudes, and practices and to improve the basis for promoting safe sharps handling practices. Methods: This investigation was a cross-sectional study. The Knowledge-Attitude-Practice Questionnaire regarding sharp disposal was localized and debugged and tested for reliability and validity, and then 334 patients were investigated by General Characteristics Questionnaire, Knowledge- Attitude-Practice Questionnaire regarding sharp disposal, and the influencing factors of practice level regarding sharp disposal of patients were analyzed. Results: The Cronbach's α value of the attitude section was 0.864 and the content validity index was 0.923. The knowledge and practice sections are in line with continental language conventions and are easy to understand without any ambiguity. The majority (52%) of the participants had poor knowledge and a neutral attitude toward disposing of sharp objects. Sharps disposal practices among diabetes mellitus patients were poor since about 90% of patients dispose of their used sharps directly into the household waste. Furthermore, we found that level of education, knowledge and attitude were the major predictors of practices regarding sharps disposal among diabetic patients (R 2 = 0.573, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Chinese version of the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice Questionnaire regarding sharp disposal has applicability in China. In China, current practice of disposing used sharps is improper. Additionally, the majority of the subjects had low levels of knowledge and attitudes. To raise awareness and encourage diabetic patients to follow appropriate sharps disposal practices, there needs to be ongoing education and a locally tailored safe sharp disposal alternative accessible.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Surveys and Questionnaires , Female , Male , Middle Aged , China , Adult , Reproducibility of Results , Aged , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & controlABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: In Poland, there are numerous cases of injuries caused by sharp instruments annually, still significantly more than in other European Union countries. The aim of this study was to analyze work-related injuries among healthcare workers in a selected hospital before and after the implementation of safety-engineered devices (SED). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of medical documentation regarding occupational needlestick and sharps injuries (NSSI) in a tertiary referral surgical hospital in 1998-2018. The study group consisted of nurses and doctors who had been injured and reported the incident. The frequency of injury reports, injury rate, and characterization of circumstances surrounding NSSI are presented. RESULTS: Over the period of 20 years, a total of 257 NSSI incidents were reported. The average injury rate was statistically significant for nurses (p = 0.004) and was higher before the introduction of SED. Moreover, the number of injuries among nurses showed a downward trend during the study period. However, for doctors, there was no statistically significant difference in the median puncture rate (p = 0.099), and the number of injuries showed an increasing trend. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the authors' have demonstrated not only the occurrence of injuries and punctures in the daily work of medical personnel but also the potential for their reduction through the use of safety equipment at every workstation where healthcare services are provided using sharp medical instruments. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(2):234-43.
Subject(s)
Needlestick Injuries , Tertiary Care Centers , Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Poland/epidemiology , Occupational Injuries/epidemiology , Occupational Injuries/prevention & control , Male , Female , Adult , Protective Devices/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Dental healthcare personnel face the potential danger of being exposed to infectious patients while administering local anesthesia injections during dental operations. This could lead to unintentional transfer of infectious diseases from patients to physicians. Although safety measures such as the One-hand-scoop technique and the use of safety syringes, plastic needle cap holders, and needles with safety caps are in place, there have been instances of needle stick injuries reported in clinics. This might be due to the lack of adherence to conventional safety measures or the impracticality of safety techniques and safety syringes. This article aims to demonstrate the utilization of dental tweezers, specifically London College tweezers or dental forceps, for the secure recapping of needles, eliminating the requirement for extra equipment or devices. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: After obtaining ethical approval (Approval No.: 024-01-2024) from the College of Dentistry, Dar Al Uloom University, 67 dental professionals, with consent for participation in the study, were included. They were requested to use dental tweezers/London College tweezers and dental extraction forceps such as maxillary anterior, mandibular anterior, and maxillary bayonet root forceps individually to recap the local anesthetic needles. The efficacy of these techniques was evaluated against the one-hand scoop technique for its ease, convenience, and reliability in preventing needle stick injuries. RESULTS: The evaluation of dental professionals regarding the ease of using dental tweezers to recap needles, compared to the one-hand scoop technique (p=0.592), maxillary bayonet root forceps (p=0.746), mandibular anterior forceps (p=0.380), and maxillary anterior forceps (p=0.808), did not yield statistically significant results. The assessment of the procedural simplicity of the one-hand scoop technique showed a satisfaction rate of over 40%, whereas the application of dental tweezers resulted in a satisfaction rate of 30%. However, the use of dental tweezers for needle recapping resulted in a satisfaction rate of over 50%, compared to a satisfaction rate of 30% for the one-handed scoop technique. CONCLUSIONS: There is no statistically significant difference in the assessment of the efficacy of dental tweezers and the one-hand scoop technique, bayonet root forceps, mandibular anterior forceps, maxillary anterior forceps, and dental tweezers for the needle capping technique. Therefore, dental forceps can be used instead of the one-handed scoop approach. The needle recapping procedure outlined in our study, aimed at preventing needle stick injuries, is simple to implement, and all dental specialties have convenient access to the required instruments.
Subject(s)
Needlestick Injuries , Humans , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Reproducibility of Results , Anesthesia, Local , Anesthetics, Local , DentistsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Needle-stick injuries (NSIs) pose a safety risk for healthcare workers with great potential for serious infections. The aim was to determine numbers and causes of NSIs as well as the frequency with which medical students report NSIs in the final stages of study. METHODS: An online questionnaire was developed and made available in January and February 2023 to all undergraduate medical students (n = 423) in the last 1.5 years of their degree course at Würzburg University, Germany. RESULTS: The response rate was 19.6% (n = 84). Among respondents, 27.4% (n = 23) reported at least one NSI. Occurrence was particularly frequent in surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, and internal medicine. Assisting with procedures, suturing, and blood sampling were considered high-risk activities. Lack of concentration, distraction, and time pressure played a role in incidents. Respondents did not report 18.8% of NSIs with the main reasons being fear of the consequences, self-assessment of the injury as minor, or the opinion of supervisors that reporting was unnecessary. Students with previous practice on simulators or patients were significantly more likely to suffer NSIs. Instructions from occupational health specialists beforehand correlated with fewer NSIs. CONCLUSION: We assume that trained students are more experienced in handling invasive procedures, leading to a greater adoption of corresponding activities and thus an increased risk of injuries in absolute numbers. This does not counter the need for didactic interventions prior to workplace-based training to raise awareness of NSI risks. Simultaneously, concepts must be developed and implemented to support reporting and alleviate fears regarding consequences.
Subject(s)
Needlestick Injuries , Students, Medical , Female , Pregnancy , Humans , Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Needlestick Injuries/etiology , Schools, Medical , Surveys and Questionnaires , Health PersonnelABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Despite a recent Cochrane Review demonstrating blunt suture needles are safer for surgeons, the use of blunt suture needles has not become widely adopted. In the 'Implant Era', with the value of medical implant companies to surpass $145 billion by 2027, should we re-examine the use of blunt suture needles, especially to reduce infection in implant surgery? We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing whether blunt suture needles reduce risks to surgeons and patients. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed per PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Cochrane and EMBASE databases were searched for RCTs. Dichotomous variables were pooled as risk ratios (RR) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) using the MH method. Random or fixed effects modelling use was based on statistical heterogeneity (I2). RESULTS: 14 RCTs were identified with 2488 patients. The RCTs included laparotomies, caesarean sections, episiotomies, and orthopaedic surgeries. Blunt suture needles when compared with sharp needles resulted in a significant reduction in glove perforation; RR: 0.47, 95% CI [0.37 to 0.60] and needlestick injuries, RR: 0.50, 95% CI [0.26 to 0.97]. Sharp needles caused more wound infections, but the result was not statistically significant; RR: 2.73, 95% CI [0.54 to 13.76], p 0.22. Surgeon's satisfaction decreased with blunt needles compared with sharp (RR: 1.22, 95% CI [1.09 to 1.37]). CONCLUSION: Blunt suture needles are safer than sharp needles for surgeons and likely reduce risks to patients. This, however, comes at the cost of decreased ease of use. The authors recommend the routine use of blunt suture needles, especially in implant surgery.
Subject(s)
Needles , Needlestick Injuries , Female , Pregnancy , Humans , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Cesarean Section , Laparotomy , SuturesABSTRACT
Needle stick injury (NSI) is a common incidence in a health care facility which can have a great impact on the psychological status of a health care worker (HCW). In the present study, over a decade, 76 incidents of NSI were reported. Nurses (47.3%) were at high risk followed by doctors (28.94%). Recapping (30.2%) was the major activity associated with NSI. Percutaneous injury (97.3%) with a hollow bore needle to the fingers was the most common type of injury. Three (3.9%) of the sources were positive for Hepatitis B virus (HBV), and one (1.3%) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Postexposure prophylaxis was administered to eight (10.5%) HCWs with high-risk exposure. The incidence of NSI is low, as there exists an underreporting which cannot be denied. Following stringent universal precautions and adoption of safety-guided devices can reduce the rate of injury to a great extent. Regular training, monitoring, auditing, and adequate control modalities are the core strategies to reduce the incidence of NSI.
Subject(s)
Needlestick Injuries , Physicians , Humans , Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Needlestick Injuries/complications , Tertiary Care Centers , Health Personnel , IncidenceABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To report the seroprevalence of bloodborne viral infection (BBVI) in patients undergoing ophthalmic surgeries and assess the utility and feasibility of preoperative screening for BBVI in India's current eye care system. METHODS: This retrospective, hospital-based, descriptive study included data from patients undergoing preoperative screening for Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at a tertiary eye care institute from 2018 to 2022. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were performed on the blood samples after obtaining informed consent from the patients. Seroreactive patients underwent surgery with additional safety precautions. The demographic data and surgical details of these patients were collected and analyzed. ANOVA was used to carry out statistical analysis between groups. During the study period, the number of healthcare workers (HCWs) sustaining needle stick injury (NSI) and accidental sharp injury (ASI) in the operating theater (OT) and details of these injuries were recorded. RESULTS: Samples from 28,563 patients were included. The seroprevalence of BBVI was 1.87% (536/28563). Hepatitis B virus (322, 60.1%) was the most commonly detected infection, and HIV (59, 11%) was the least detected infection. The mean age of the seroreactive patients was 60.3 ± 30.8 years. The incidence of NSI was 0.49/1000 surgeries. Nurses (11) and technicians (4) in the OT sustained maximum NSI. None of the HCWs had seroconversion after NSI. CONCLUSION: The overall seroprevalence of BBVI in the current study is lower than that reported in previously published studies from eye care organizations. Currently, mandatory preoperative screening for BBVI to prevent transmission of these infections to HCWs working in the eye care sector in India appears to be less cost-effective.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Hepatitis C , Needlestick Injuries , Humans , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Retrospective Studies , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Hepatitis C/diagnosis , Hepatitis C/epidemiology , Health Personnel , HIV Infections/diagnosis , Hepatitis B virus , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Background: Needlestick and sharp injuries (NSI) carry the risk of transmitting numerous bloodborne pathogens, leading to both health and economic burdens. The underreporting of NSIs among healthcare workers (HCWs) is a global issue of concern, as timely treatment and prevention of complications rely on proper reporting. Underreporting further impedes accurate surveillance and appropriate resource allocation, with developed and developing nations facing disparities due to differences in healthcare policy. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine the epidemiology of NSIs and NSI underreporting, as well as to identify the determinants associated with the occurrence of NSIs and the underreporting of such injuries. Method: A retrospective online survey was conducted from January 15 to January 31, 2022 among healthcare workers (HCWs) across Gansu Province, China. Results: A total of 7,283 healthcare workers (HCWs) from various institutions participated in this study. After quality assurance checks, 6,464 (88.77%) responses were included in the final analysis. Results revealed a 32.86% self-reported needlestick and sharp injury (NSI) incidence among respondents, with 28.53% of NSIs going unreported. Contrary to common belief, more experienced HCWs exhibited higher rates of both NSIs and underreporting compared to their less experienced peers. The primary reasons cited for NSIs and underreporting were lapses in concentration and not perceiving patients as infectious. Multivariate regression analysis exposes the significant influence of training frequency, occupation, department and years of services on the occurrence of NSIs. Conversely, the reporting of NSIs is primarily influenced by training, reimbursement,occupation, department and hospital grade. Compared to HCWs with no training, those who received ≥3 training sessions per year showed a 12.16% lower NSI incidence (27.12% vs. 39.28%, p < 0.001) and a 55.68% lower underreporting rate (14.61% vs. 70.29%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: There is a pressing need for enhanced surveillance, tailored training programs, and more efficient reporting mechanisms to combat this significant occupational health challenge.
Subject(s)
Needlestick Injuries , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/etiology , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Health Personnel , Surveys and Questionnaires , China/epidemiologyABSTRACT
AIM: Aim The objective of this study was to understand the occupational protective behaviors of newly recruited nurses and explore the influencing factors. METHODS: A convenience sampling method was used to select newly recruited nurses in our hospital from July 2018 to November 2019. The survey was conducted using the general information questionnaire, work attitude scale (Wa), and occupational protective behavior scale. RESULTS: The total score of occupational protective behaviors of 150 newly enrolled nurses was 18.94 ± 3.59. There was a significant negative correlation between work attitude score and occupational protective behaviors (r = -0.324, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that gender, previous participation in nursing skill-based competitions, experience of needlestick injuries before recruit, work attitude score, average daily sleep time (p < 0.05) were independent factors influencing occupational protective behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The overall occupational protective awareness of newly enrolled nurses is relatively weak and needs to be further improved. The group's ability to improve occupational protective behaviors may be positively impacted through increased adaptability, improved sleep, active participation in nursing skill-based competitions, strengthening guidance and education on occupational protection.
Subject(s)
Needlestick Injuries , Nurses , Humans , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Hospitals , Attitude of Health Personnel , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Even when education and the use of safety equipment are emphasized, nurses frequently experience needlestick injuries. Understanding the risk situations and coping mechanisms for needlestick injuries experienced by nurses facilitates their prevention. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore and describe the phenomenon of needlestick injuries through the research questions: (1) What causes nurses to suffer from needlestick injuries? (2) How to cope after a needlestick injury? and (3) What are the recommendations for needlestick injury prevention? METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study involved focus group interviews with 31 direct care nurses in 6 groups who had experienced needlestick injuries while working in different acute care hospitals across 3 regions in South Korea. Data were collected from January 29 to March 29, 2022, and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The average age of the participating nurses was 29.7 years. The following 3 themes were identified: various needlestick injury experiences, post-needlestick injury coping, and expectations regarding needlestick injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Risk situations and coping mechanisms of nurses who experienced needlestick injuries were diverse. Emergency situations and novice nurses were the causes of most of the needlestick injuries. Often, personal protective equipment was found cumbersome. Reporting needlestick injuries depended on the work environment.
Subject(s)
Needlestick Injuries , Nurses , Humans , Adult , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Qualitative Research , Educational Status , Focus GroupsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Blood-borne pathogens (BBPs) are infectious microorganisms that are found in human blood and can cause diseases in humans. Health care workers such as physicians, surgeons, nurses, dentists, dental students, dental assistants, laboratory technicians, personnel handling infectious waste, and other health care employees are at increased risk of exposure to these pathogens. Percutaneous injuries from needles or other sharp objects are the major sources of BBPs in the workplace. Needlestick injuries (NSIs) have the most potential to transmit and have the easiest mode of transmission of BBPs. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED: The authors searched electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, MEDLINE-Ovid) for studies and articles focused on the various aspects of NSIs, their possible causes, prevention, and management protocols. RESULTS: There is a lack of literature on the global prevalence of NSIs among dental practitioners and underreporting of NSIs by clinicians. The authors also found that dental students and inexperienced practitioners were the most vulnerable. They found apparent inconsistencies in guidelines and recommendations from various regulatory and statutory agencies in charge of limiting and managing NSIs. CONCLUSION: The most significant occupational risks for health care workers globally are NSIs. Dentists are recognized as one of the high-risk groups for exposure to NSIs. Although the reporting rate was noticeably low, the frequency of NSIs among dental students was alarmingly high. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Appropriate and succinct training of dental health care workers is crucial for prevention and management of NSIs. It is recommended that dentists familiarize themselves with recommendations from such agencies and organizations as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and American Dental Association.
Subject(s)
Dentists , Needlestick Injuries , Humans , Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Professional Role , Health Personnel , DentistryABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of data on sharps injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposure among Dermatologic Surgeons. OBJECTIVE: Quantify occupational risks from sharps injuries among Mohs surgeons. Determine rate of injury, reporting, and confidence in staff's sharps handling. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis performed using survey responses from Mohs surgeons with membership in the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS). RESULTS: A total of 60 ACMS members completed the survey. Overall, 56.7% reported at least 1 sharps injury within the past year, of which 14.7% resulted in a bloodborne exposure (odds of exposure: 7.5% per year). The most common type of injury was self-inflicted suture needlestick (76.5%). Forty-four-point-one percent did not report their injuries. Ninety-five percent reported access to postexposure prophylaxis at their workplace. In addition, respondents in academic and single-specialty practices were more likely to report high or moderate confidence in staff sharps handling knowledge and in injury reporting compared with respondents from multispecialty and solo practices (88% vs 54% p = .02, 76%-81% vs 27% p = .0004, respectively). CONCLUSION: Sharps injuries and under-reporting of these injuries are common among Mohs surgeons. Despite reporting of higher confidence in staff knowledge and training in academic and single-specialty practices, there was no correlation with surgeon's rate of injury.
Subject(s)
Needlestick Injuries , Surgeons , Humans , United States/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/etiology , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Cross-Sectional Studies , Mohs Surgery/adverse effects , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the compliance with standard precautions in healthcare workers who experienced a sharps penetrating injury or mucosal exposure using the compliance with Standard Precautions Scale, Turkish version. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital. The occupational health and safety unit records of healthcare workers who were injured by a sharps penetrating injury or experienced mucosal exposure between January 2018 and July 2020 were examined. Compliance with the Standard Precautions Scale was assessed by having participants answer a questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 100 participants, 59% were men. Of all healthcare workers in the university hospital, 4.5% (n=100) were injured by sharps penetrating injuries or mucosal exposure. Of the participants, 95% were wounded by a sharps penetrating injury and 5% had mucosal exposure. The mean Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale score of participants with a sharps penetrating injury was 16.36±2.39 and with mucosal exposure was 16.80±3.03. There was no significant difference between the mean Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale scores of the sharps penetrating injury and mucosal exposure groups regardless of training on occupational health and safety (p=0.794). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the frequency of a sharps penetrating injury and mucosal exposure in healthcare workers was similar to the literature. The compliance level of the healthcare workers measured with the Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale was high.
Subject(s)
Health Personnel , Needlestick Injuries , Male , Humans , Female , Cross-Sectional Studies , Turkey , Hospitals, University , Infection Control , Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Medical training for fitness nurses accommodates theoretical and practical sessions for understanding real-time patient care and handling. Some common errors such as needle injury, improper tool handling, etc. occur due to novice fitness nursing students. For preventing such errors and improving the training quality, this article introduces an Artificial Intelligence assimilated Preventive Training Measure (AI-PTM). The proposed method observes the different training sessions of fitness nursing students for error detection and training qualification. In this method, classification with recurrent learning is induced for identifying the error-causing feature in the mid of the training session. This error-causing feature is classified based on student characteristics (such as mishandling, lack of concentration, etc.) and objects (new equipment, precision handling, etc.). Based on the classification, the instance is modified in the recurrent training session, improving the students concentration. The identified error-causing features are stored, congruently matched, and used for training further nursing sessions. This method improves training accuracy, and precision handling, and reduces error. (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Needlestick Injuries/nursing , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Nursing , Artificial Intelligence , Education, NursingABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Investigate the incidence and mechanisms of sharps injuries (SI) to staff using Lovenox and generic enoxaparin prefilled syringes. METHODS: Four national adverse event databases were examined over a 12-year period for incidence and brands involved with injury events to staff using enoxaparin prefilled syringes. RESULTS: The search revealed 581 adverse events (including 20 sharps injuries) associated with device malfunction in 8 of 16 brands, with one brand mentioned significantly more frequently than others. No national alert had been issued. CONCLUSIONS: Use of certain brands of enoxaparin prefilled syringes poses a small but serious risk of injury to staff. Conducting root cause analyses on all SI is essential, as is the need for regularly evaluating safer devices, reporting all device incidents, enabling simpler reporting of adverse events, and establishing more effective intervention by FDA and manufacturers.
Subject(s)
Enoxaparin , Needlestick Injuries , Humans , Enoxaparin/adverse effects , Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Retrospective Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , SyringesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Data on the prevalence and distribution of operating room (OR) sterile field sharps injuries sustained by attending surgeons, residents, scrub nurses, and surgical technologists are limited. The goal of this study is to understand current practices, injuries, and reporting behavior at an academic center, implement interventions, and assess their effect on sharps safety and reporting. METHODS: An electronic survey with questions pertaining to sharps handling practices, injuries, and reporting was e-mailed to 864 staff between July and September 2014. Adjusted analyses for risk of injury were performed. A follow-up survey was sent in January 2018, following the implementation of a shorter injury reporting form and a neutral zone. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 49.3%, with 363 completed surveys. Of respondents, 44.9% reported injuries occurring in the preceding three years. Physicians comprised 65.1% of injured staff and sustained 68.8% of the total injuries. Compared to attending surgeons, residents had a similar likelihood of injury (odds ratio 0.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.37-2.2), whereas scrub nurses (odds ratio 0.3, 95% CI 0.17-0.54) and technologists (odds ratio 0.3, 95% CI 0.14-0.76) had a lower likelihood. Half of those injured reported to Occupational Health Services. Of those who did not report, 46.4% stated that time was a limiting factor. Following the interventions, the incidence of injuries among survey respondents remained unchanged. However, 54.0% of respondents stated that it was easier to report injuries. CONCLUSION: Attending surgeons and residents sustain the majority of OR sterile field sharps injuries and are the least likely to report them. Shorter reports made it easier to report the injuries.
Subject(s)
Needlestick Injuries , Surgeons , Humans , Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Tertiary Care Centers , Operating RoomsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Despite safety mandates and interventions, sharps injuries remain an occupational risk for registered nurses (RNs). Sharps and needlestick injuries increase the risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens. Post-exposure direct and indirect costs of these percutaneous injuries have been estimated at about US$700 per incident. The goal of this quality improvement project was to identify root causes of sharps injuries for RNs at a large urban hospital system. METHODS: A retrospective evaluation of sharps injuries sustained by RNs, identification epsication of themes or root causes, and the development of a fishbone diagram to sort the causes into categories to identify workable solutions were conducted. Fisher's exact tests were performed to identify association between variables and root causes. FINDINGS: A total of 47 sharps injuries were reported from January 2020 through June 2020. Among sharps injuries sustained by nurses, 68.1% were among nurses 19 to 25 years of age and 57.4% reported job tenure of 1 to 2 years. There was a statistically significant association between root causes and tenure range, gender, and procedure type (p < .05) with moderate effect size (Cramer's V = 0.35-0.60). Technique also was a primary cause of sharps injuries for blood draw (77%), discontinuing line (75%), injection (46%), intravenous (IV) start (100%), and suturing (50%). CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: Technique and patient behavior were primary root causes of sharps injuries in this study. More sharps injuries caused by technique occurred among nurses with job tenure of 1 to 10 years, female, blood draw, discontinuing line, injection, IV start, and suturing procedures. The root cause analysis identified tenure, technique, and behavior as potential root causes of sharps injuries specifically occurring most during blood draw and injections at a large urban hospital system. These findings will inform nurses, especially new nurses in the proper use of safety devices and behaviors to prevent injury.