Arlington, VA — Hospital items that persistently observe customary safety precautions expertise practically 40% fewer needlesticks and different sharps injuries than different items, a brand new study has discovered.
According to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, round 385,000 sharps injuries – involving syringe needles, scalpel blades and different sharp objects that come into contact with physique fluids – happen yearly among the many 5.6 million well being care employees within the United States.
Researchers surveyed 452 U.S.-based registered nurses throughout 43 hospital items and picked up observational adherence knowledge on practically 5,300 customary precautions – together with protected use and disposal of sharps and applicable private protecting gear.
The items noticed to have constant dedication to safety precautions had 38% fewer needlesticks and sharps injuries than those who didn’t. Additionally, the researchers discovered {that a} group of variables – together with noticed customary precaution adherence, stage of nurse staffing, hospital possession and educating standing – reliably predicted all employees sharps and needle injuries.
Overall adherence to straightforward precautions was highest amongst nurses, at 69.1%, adopted by different suppliers (62.1%) and physicians (58%). APIC says adherence to straightforward precautions in hospitals occurs lower than half of the time.
“Despite the safety benefits associated with standard precautions, generating consistent adherence in the health care setting has been notoriously challenging, for reasons that are not completely clear,” lead study writer Amanda Hessels, an assistant professor on the Columbia University School of Nursing, stated in an APIC press launch. “Our study findings should help to advance the state of the science in patient and occupational health and safety.”
The study was printed on-line within the American Journal of Infection Control.
