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At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Needlestick injuries among female veterinarians: frequency, syringe contents and side-effects.

In a mixed-mode survey of all 1970-80 female graduates of all US veterinary colleges, information was obtained regarding several health, personal and occupational factors including data on occupational needlestick events. Among the 2,532 survey respondents, 1,620 reported one or more needlesticks after graduation from veterinary college (64.0% of all respondents). A total of 2,663 stick events were reported, although the descriptions of each puncture event varied in quality/completeness, probably due in large part to their retrospective nature. Substances most often injected include vaccines, antibiotics, anaesthetics and animal blood. Of the 438 sticks resulting in at least one side-effect (16.4% of all sticks), 337 were classified as mild and localized at the site of injection (12.4% of all sticks, approximately 77% of sticks producing a side-effect), with 18 characterized as severe and systemic (0.7% of all sticks, approximately 4% of sticks producing a side-effect). One accidental self-injection of a prostaglandin compound resulted in a spontaneous abortion, heightening awareness that occupational needlesticks may also represent a serious human reproductive health hazard. The estimated overall needlestick injury rate for this group of health care professionals was 9.3 sticks per 100 person-years (PYs) of practice, comparable to reported rates among health care workers such as nurses, laboratory technicians and hospital housekeeping staff. Accounting for underreporting of the stick events, the actual injury rate is likely to be at least 20 sticks per 100 PYs. When stick rates were estimated by clinical practice type (small animal, large animal and mixed practice), all-small-animal and mixed-practice veterinarians demonstrated the highest rates, with all-large-animal practitioners demonstrating a rate lower by about 40%.

Anesthetics↗
PubMed1995

Occupation risk of needlestick injuries among health care personnel in Saudi Arabia.

In a four-year study of penetrating injuries potentially contaminated with blood among health care personnel, the majority of cases occurred amongst nurses (65%). The wards were the commonest place for injury to occur (39%) which questions whether difficult practical procedures should be performed there. Injuries occurred most commonly during the afternoons (63%). Although needles were the most frequent implement (79%) causing injury, very few cases (7%) were related to the re-sheathing of cannulae. The commonest injured area (46%) was the palmar surface of the distal forefinger of the non-dominant hand. Western staff reported most incidents. There were no episodes of repeated needlestick injury. No staff developed any blood-borne infection (HIV, hepatitis B, treponemal infection) within a one year follow-up period after such a penetrating injury.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2006

Impact of safety needle devices on occupationally acquired needlestick injuries: a four-year prospective study.

A four-year prospective study was undertaken at the University Hospital Birmingham National Health Service Foundation Trust to evaluate the effect of the introduction of a range of safety hypodermic needle devices on the number of reported needlestick injuries (NSIs). Data on the number of reported NSIs for four clinical areas began in 2001. Following an enhanced sharps awareness strategy in 2002, the number of NSIs reduced from 16.9/100,000 devices used in 2001 to 13.9/100,000 devices (P=0.813). In 2003, when only standard training was provided, the number of NSIs increased to 20/100,000 devices. However, the subsequent introduction of three safety needle devices with concomitant training resulted in a significant reduction in the number of reported NSIs to 6/100,000 devices in 2004 (P=0.045). User satisfaction and acceptance of the safety needles was also very favourable. These results suggest that when safety needle devices are introduced into the clinical setting and appropriate training is given, a significant reduction in the number of occupationally acquired NSIs may ensue.

Equipment Safety↗
PubMed2002

Needlestick injuries to nurses, in context.

Injuries with used needles and other "sharps" put health care workers at risk for serious bloodborne infections, such as HIV and hepatitis B and C. To some extent, this risk can be lessened through safer techniques (such as not recapping needles) and safer devices (such as needleless and self-sheathing equipment). But these injuries occur within a context (often a hospital unit) with organizational features that may themselves contribute to an increased or decreased risk. This Issue Brief summarizes a series of studies that investigate whether workplace aspects of the hospital (such as staffing levels, and organizational structure and climate) affect the risk of needlestick injuries to nurses.

Blood-Borne Pathogens↗
PubMed1998

Reducing the risk of needlestick injury associated with implanted ports.

Implanted ports give many of our patients a sense of freedom that they have not known since they have been sick. Between infusions, they do not have to be reminded constantly of their illness through an external vascular access device. However, this patient advantage does carry some degree of risk for the nurse working with the patient and the device. Needlestick injuries are serious and expensive. There is a financial and emotional toll that cannot be measured. Each employer is required by OSHA to have an exposure control plan for eliminating or minimizing employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens (OSHA, 1991, 1994). Inventions such as the HuberLoc meet the criteria for devices that can reduce the risk of injury through engineering controls. Agencies need to know that OSHA-mandated worker protection can be both easy to use and cost effective. Home care nurses need to be more proactive in informing agencies about such devices and lobbying for their use.

Catheters, Indwelling↗
PubMed1999

Needlestick injury in clothing industry workers and the risks of blood-borne infection.

This paper identifies the hazard of a hollow needle device used extensively in the clothing industry and assesses the risk of transmission for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. A substantial risk of transmission is suggested and measures have been advised for its control. Occupational Health Physicians are advised to be aware of hollow needles in other industrial processes and where risks of cross-infection exist, the same safety considerations should be applied as in clinical medicine and veterinary work to avoid needlestick injuries. Needle sharing must be avoided.

Blood-Borne Pathogens↗
PubMed2002

Guarded fistula needle reduces needlestick injuries in hemodialysis.

Use of large-gauge, hollow-bore, arteriovenous fistula needles (AVFNs) and high-pressure accesses are unique factors inherent to the hemodialysis (HD) setting. The dialysis patient population has a higher incidence of hepatitis C (HCV) than the general population (8.4% compared to 1.8%) and the incidence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has increased tenfold from 1985 to 2000. HD health care workers (HCWs) are twice as likely to sustain a high-risk needlestick injury (NSI) as HCWs in all other settings. All of these factors leave HD HCWs at a high risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens (BBPs). Although published data on NSI reduction with guarded AVFNs is lacking, many HD facilities have rushed to implement guarded AVFNs to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) newly revised Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030). For this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of one design of AVFN guard (MasterGuard Anti-Stick Needle Protector, Medisystems Corporation) by comparing its NSI rate to that of unguarded AVFNs. The unguarded AVFN injury rate was 8.58 NSIs per 100,000 unguarded AVFNs (in 81,534 cannulations) compared to zero NSIs per 100,000 guarded AVFNs (in 54,044 cannulations). The guarded AVFN showed a statistically significant NSI reduction compared to the unguarded AVFN (p < 0.029). This study demonstrates that using a guarded AVFN will help reduce HCWs' risk of exposure to BBPs in the dialysis setting.

Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Human infection with B virus following a needlestick injury.

A 26-year-old veterinary technician who became infected with B virus at the site of a needlestick injury is described. After the patient was treated with intravenous acyclovir, all cultures became negative for B virus and have remained so during treatment with oral acyclovir. The literature on infections due to B virus in humans is reviewed, and a detailed discussion of the various aspects of this simian herpesvirus is presented.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Preventing needlestick injuries among healthcare workers: a WHO-ICN collaboration.

Effective measures to prevent infections from occupaonal exposure of healthcare workers to blood include mmunization against HBV, eliminating unnecessary injections, implementing Universal Precautions, eliminating needle recapping and disposing of the sharp into a sharps container immediately after use, use of safer devices such as needles that sheath or retract after use, provision and use of personal protective equipment, and training workers in the risks and prevention of transmission. Post-exposure prophylaxis with antiretroviral medications can reduce the risk of HIV transmission by 80%. In 2003, the World Health Organization and the International Council of Nurses launched a pilot project in three countries to protect healthcare workers from needlestick injuries. The results of the pilot will be disseminated worldwide, along with best policies and practices for prevention.

Equipment Design↗
PubMed1988

Needlestick injuries: mechanisms and control.

Consideration of a linear model for venepuncture and patterns that emerge from the literature can help to understand the occurrence of occupational needlestick injuries which are common in healthcare workers. A systematic approach can also help in evaluation of potential control measures and in cost-benefit analysis.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1995

Virologic characterization of primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in a health care worker following needlestick injury.

A health care worker (HCW) was infected via needlestick with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 from a subject with AIDS who harbored a zidovudine-resistant, syncytium-inducing (SI) HIV strain. The phenotypic characteristics of the HIV-1 isolates obtained from the HCW and markers of virus load were followed for 20 months. Although the HCW was initially infected with an SI strain, within 75 days of infection the isolate became non-SI and remained so for > or = 635 days. Even though the AIDS patient had a zidovudine-resistant virus, the HCW was infected with a zidovudine-sensitive virus. Plasma RNA levels peaked 20 days after infection, declined rapidly within 2 weeks, and remained stable for the duration of follow-up. Similarly, the HCW's CD4 lymphocyte count remained stable throughout the study. Thus, selection for non-SI and zidovudine-sensitive virus occurred in the HCW, who, after initial symptomatic infection associated with high levels of plasma HIV-1 RNA, developed low plasma RNA copy numbers and stable CD4 lymphocyte counts.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗