OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of implementing safety-engineered devices on percutaneous injury epidemiology, specifically on percutaneous injuries associated with a higher risk of blood-borne pathogen exposure. DESIGN: Before-and-after intervention trial comparing 3-year preintervention (1998--2000) and 1-year postintervention (2001--2002) periods. Percutaneous injury data have been entered prospectively into CDC NaSH software since 1998. SETTING: A 427-bed, tertiary-care hospital in Manhattan. PARTICIPANTS: All employees who reported percutaneous injuries during the study period. INTERVENTION: A "safer-needle system," composed of a variety of safety-engineered devices to allow for needle-safe IV delivery, blood collection, IV insertion, and intramuscular and subcutaneous injection, was implemented in February 2001. RESULTS: The mean annual incidence of percutaneous injuries decreased from 34.08 per 1,000 full-time-equivalent employees preintervention to 14.25 postintervention (P < .001). Reductions in the average monthly number of percutaneous injuries resulting from both low-risk (P < .01) and high-risk (P was not significant) activities were observed. Nurses experienced the greatest decrease (74.5%, P < .001), followed by ancillary staff (61.5%, P = .03). Significant rate reductions were observed for the following activities: manipulating patients or sharps (83.5%, P < .001), collisions or contact with sharps (73.0%, P = .01), disposal-related injuries (21.41%, P = .001), and catheter insertions (88.2%, P < .001). Injury rates involving hollow-bore needles also decreased (70.6%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of safety-engineered devices reduced percutaneous injury rates across occupations, activities, times of injury, and devices. Moreover, intervention impact was observed when stratified by risk for blood-borne pathogen transmission.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of implementing safety-engineered devices on percutaneous injury epidemiology, specifically on percutaneous injuries associated with a higher risk of blood-borne pathogen exposure. DESIGN: Before-and-after intervention trial comparing 3-year preintervention (1998--2000) and 1-year postintervention (2001--2002) periods. Percutaneous injury data have been entered prospectively into CDC NaSH software since 1998. SETTING: A 427-bed, tertiary-care hospital in Manhattan. PARTICIPANTS: All employees who reported percutaneous injuries during the study period. INTERVENTION: A "safer-needle system," composed of a variety of safety-engineered devices to allow for needle-safe IV delivery, blood collection, IV insertion, and intramuscular and subcutaneous injection, was implemented in February 2001. RESULTS: The mean annual incidence of percutaneous injuries decreased from 34.08 per 1,000 full-time-equivalent employees preintervention to 14.25 postintervention (P < .001). Reductions in the average monthly number of percutaneous injuries resulting from both low-risk (P < .01) and high-risk (P was not significant) activities were observed. Nurses experienced the greatest decrease (74.5%, P < .001), followed by ancillary staff (61.5%, P = .03). Significant rate reductions were observed for the following activities: manipulating patients or sharps (83.5%, P < .001), collisions or contact with sharps (73.0%, P = .01), disposal-related injuries (21.41%, P = .001), and catheter insertions (88.2%, P < .001). Injury rates involving hollow-bore needles also decreased (70.6%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of safety-engineered devices reduced percutaneous injury rates across occupations, activities, times of injury, and devices. Moreover, intervention impact was observed when stratified by risk for blood-borne pathogen transmission.
Authors: H P Loveday; J A Wilson; R J Pratt; M Golsorkhi; A Tingle; A Bak; J Browne; J Prieto; M Wilcox Journal: J Hosp Infect Date: 2014-01 Impact factor: 3.926
Authors: R J Pratt; C M Pellowe; J A Wilson; H P Loveday; P J Harper; S R L J Jones; C McDougall; M H Wilcox Journal: J Hosp Infect Date: 2007-02 Impact factor: 3.926
Authors: Winifred L Boal; Jack K Leiss; Jennifer M Ratcliffe; Sara Sousa; Jennifer T Lyden; Jia Li; Janine Jagger Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2009-05-13 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: Sharon Griswold; Alisha Bonaroti; Christopher J Rieder; John Erbayri; Jessica Parsons; Romy Nocera; Richard Hamilton Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2013-04-24 Impact factor: 2.692