An estimated 600,000 - 800,000 needlestick injuries (nsi) occur annually in the
United States. About half of these injuries go unreported. An average hospital
incurs approximately 30 worker nsi per 100 beds per year. Most reported nsi
involve nursing staff, but lab staff, physicians, housekeepers, and other
healthcare workers are also injured. Some of these injuries expose workers to
bloodborne pathogens, including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. Infection
with any of these pathogens is potentially life-threatening.
The risk of infection from hepatitis is much greater than the risk from HIV and
while there is an immunization to prevent Hepatitis B, and post-exposure
prophylaxis and treatment for HIV, there is currently no recommended prophylaxis
or effective treatment for Hepatitis C. The only solution is to prevent
exposure. Safer devices have been shown to reduce needlestick injuries by 80%.
Frontline healthcare worker involvement is essential for a comprehensive
analysis of injury hazard, the selection of clinically appropriate devices and
for the successful implementation of a change to safer products.
From 'Occupational Health and Safety,' by Susan
Wilburn, MPH, RN
From the American Journal of Nursing
A Culture of Safety
Nurses can take an active role in preventing needlestick injuries
On the Web
NeedleStick.org
Bloodborne Facts, fact sheets provided by OSHA entitled,
- Repeating Exposure Incidents
- Protect Yourself When Handling Sharps
- Hepatitis B Vaccination - Protection For You
- Personal Protective Equipment Cuts Risk
www.osha-slc.gov/OshDoc/data_BloodborneFacts/
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Needlestick Injuries.
Includes final text of the 2000 amendments to the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
(29 CFR 1910.1030)
www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/needlestick/index.html
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safety Alert: Needlestick and Other Risks
from Hypodermic Needles on Secondary I.V. Administration Sets- Piggyback and
Intermittent I.V.
www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/needlestick/fdaletter.html
NIOSH Alert - Preventing Needlestick Injuries in Healthcare Settings Publication
No. 2000-108. Publication Date: 11/99
www.cdc.gov/niosh/2000-108.html
NIOSH Guidelines for Selecting, Evaluating, and Using Sharps Disposal
Containers. Publication No. 97-111, 1998. (To order, call 1-800- 35NIOSH).
www.cdc.gov/niosh/2000-108.html
California OSHA Sharps Injury Control Program. Include a listing of safer needle
devices available on the market.
www.ohb.org/sharps.htm
Training for the Development of Innovative Control Technologies (TDICT) Project.
Includes needlestick device safety feature evaluation forms.
www.tdict.org/criteria.html
ECRI: evaluation of needlestick devices.
healthcare.ecri.org/site/whatsnew/press.releases/
980723hdneedle.html
Exposure Prevention Information Network (EPINet) epidemiologic system for
recording needlestick injuries developed by the Dr. Janine Jagger at the
International Healthcare Worker Safety Center at the University of
Virginia-Charlottesville.
www.med.virginia.edu/~epinet
