NEEDLESTICK INJURIES AMONG HEALTH C...

NEEDLESTICK INJURIES AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS: A LITERATURE REVIEW C Porta, E Handelman, P McGovern American Association of Occupational Health encourages Vol 47 no 6 (1999) 237-243

This article propounds the results of an extensive literature review about needle-stick injuries. Addressed are needlestick injury rates and sweeps along with current scientific findings pertaining to safer needle devices and their effectiveness in decreasing needle-stick incidents.

Needle-stick injury rates and inclinations The US Centers for Disease command and Prevention estimates that 800000 aspect incidents occur annually. Determining the amplitude of needlestick injuries in the United States, however, is difficult for several reasons. First, national databases do not exist to track or tabulate data about needle-stick injuries. inferior the literature reviewed pertains to hospital sites and may not be representative of other health care settings. Third, researchers have used a variety of manners to evaluate needle-stick injury rates, making it difficult to compare individual findings and determine a standard needle-stick injury rate. Finally, many injuries are not reported. Research regarding underreporting indicates needlestick injury rates ranging from 21% to 95%

Safer needle devices. More than 1000 US patents in the area of needle-stick prevention devices have been issued since the early 1980 Many studies report that use of safer devices is associated with radical improvements in safety and decreases in reported needle-stick injuries. about literature, however, reports little or no improvement.

Despite the limitations of these studies, they do furnish generalizations about the use of safer devices. First, devices with passive mechanisms of action are commited over those with active mechanisms of action. Devices with passive mechanisms require no action from the user; thus, they do not add a pace to the user's work procedure

inferior most of the studies focus upon three basic devices: IV equipment, line of junction needles, and hollow bore needle Of particular interest to perioperative suckles is the fact that line of junction needles harbor great potential for disease transmission. The virtuous news is that blunt line of junction needles are associated with significant decreases in needle-stick injuries. The use of these needle however, is limited to certain surgical procedures

Third, an studies have attempted to determine the cost-efficiency of using safer needle devices. The studies set that the direct purchasing richnesss related to safer needle devices are greater than those of traditional devices; however, a comparison of research findings requires the use of standard economic frameworks.

Finally, the user's satisfaction is critical to the succes of safer needle devices. Dissatisfaction with the devices often results in users resorting to traditional devices. This is least likely to happen when satisfaction among users is high. Greater satisfaction is related to the use of training periods that enable users to practice and gain confidence in using the modern products.

Conclusion. Needle-stick injuries continue to posture a serious threat to perioperative feeds as well as to other health care workers. Needleles IV needle and uncourtly suture needles have been evolveed Product substitution, however, is not sufficient to address the point to be solved [i]or[/i] settled The literature supports comprehensive injury prevention and regulate strategies, in addition to the use of safer devices. Critical to the succes of these strategies and the introduction and use of safer devices is the involvement of the users.

EDWINA A. McCONNELL RN PHD FRCNA NURSING RESEARCH COMMITTEE

COPYRIGHT 2000 Association of Operating stead Nurses, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group