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- Title
Evaluation of potential reduction in blood and body fluid exposures by use of alternative instruments.
- Authors
Eugene R. Waclawski
- Abstract
BackgroundInjuries from needlestick, sharps injuries and splashes lead to exposure to blood and body fluids with the potential for transmission of blood-borne viruses.AimsTo identify alternative instruments, which if used would improve worker safety.MethodsRetrospective review of 161 injuries with identification of safer alternative products for instruments that caused injury. The proportion of injuries that could be prevented was calculated [with 95% confidence intervals (CI)].ResultsThe average rate of injury was 7.8/1000 employees per annum (95% CI, 6.8<@150>9.4/1000). In the 2 years the highest rates of injury occurred in pre-registration house officers (164/1000; 95% CI, 64<@150>264/1000), phlebotomists (154/1000; 95% CI, 15<@150>291/1000) and senior house officers (45/1000; 95% CI, 13<@150>77/1000). An upper estimate of 65% (95% CI, 58<@150>72%) of incidents would have been preventable with a change to alternative devices.ConclusionsChange to the use of intrinsically safer instrumentation has the potential to prevent injury to healthcare workers.
- Subjects
WOUNDS &; injuries; MEDICAL emergencies; TRAUMATOLOGY; MEDICAL care
- Publication
Occupational Medicine, 2004, Vol 54, Issue 8, p567
- ISSN
0962-7480
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/occmed/kqh116