Needlestick

INTRODUCTION: Medical students are a vulnerable group for the acquisition of blood borne pathogens due to their lack of experience. In Europe and Asia preventive training programs have reduced accidental exposures. AIM: The aim of the study was to compare the lifetime prevalence of Needlestick and Sharp Objects Injuries (NSIs) among medical interns who received preventive training versus those without such training in Mexico City. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2013, a cross-sectional study was performed applying an anonymous self-administrated questionnaire...

Undertaking peripheral intravenous (IV) cannulations and the management of cannulae are associated with the risk of blood leakage or spillage and blood exposure. Open cannulae are the most common type of peripheral IV cannulae used in the UK. However, closed cannulae, also known as blood-control cannulae, have the potential to reduce the risk of needlestick injury, blood leakage and blood exposure during cannulation, as well as to increase dwell time and patient comfort. Closed cannulae may also reduce the time taken to perform cannulation...

Peripheral intravenous cannulation is a common clinical procedure in today's healthcare setting. There are a range of different devices to choose from, and this article will consider the risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections and needlestick injuries, national and international guidelines on infection prevention and safety in intravenous access, the need for closed catheters, features of the Introcan Safety® 3 (B. Braun Melsungen AG) and research into peripheral cannulas.

BACKGROUND: The studies enumerating the risk of HIV transmission to health care workers (HCWs) as 0.3% after percutaneous exposure to HIV-positive blood, and 0.09% after a mucous membrane exposure, are weakened by dated literature. Our study aims to demonstrate the seroconversion rate after exposure to HIV-contaminated body fluids in a major academic center in the United States. METHODS: A prospectively maintained database of reported occupational injuries occurring between 2002 and 2015 at an academic medical center was analyzed...

PROBLEM: Global health (GH) education programs have become increasingly common in U.S. medical schools and graduate medical education programs, with growing numbers of medical students, residents, and fellows participating in clinical experiences in settings with high HIV prevalence and limited resources. However, there are no guidelines for provision of HIV postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) to trainees engaging in these academic GH experiences. APPROACH: Faculty of the Global Health Education Programs (GHEP) at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and GH partner institutions recognized the need for PEP access for trainees engaged in GH experiences...

OBJECTIVE: This study documents previously unreported cases of laboratory animal bite anaphylaxis in animal laboratory facilities in the United States. METHODS: An online survey was e-mailed to designated institutional officials at laboratory animal facilities identified by the National Institutes of Health Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare. RESULTS: One hundred ninety eight organizations responded and 15 organizations indicated that workers had experienced anaphylaxis following an animal bite...

Background: Blood culture contamination is a clinically significant problem that results in patient harm and excess cost. Methods: In a prospective, controlled trial at an academic center Emergency Department, a device that diverts and sequesters the initial 1.5-2mL portion of blood (which presumably carries contaminating skin cells and microbes) was tested against standard phlebotomy procedures in patients requiring blood cultures due to clinical suspicion of serious infection...

The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens Standard as amended by the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act requiring the use of safety-engineered medical devices to prevent needlesticks and sharps injuries has been in place since 2001. Injury changes over time include differences between those from non-safety compared with safety-engineered medical devices. This research compares two US occupational incident surveillance systems to determine whether these data can be generalized to other facilities and other countries either with legislation in place or considering developing national policies for the prevention of sharps injuries among healthcare personnel...

BACKGROUND: Occupational exposure to blood or other body fluids in healthcare settings puts healthcare workers (HCWs) at risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It is estimated that between 200 and 5000 HIV infections are transmitted annually to HCWs worldwide. Use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) has been documented to reduce the rate of HIV infection from workplace exposures by 81%. AIM: To investigate the extent of occupational exposure to HIV infection during the period of 12 months before the survey and to identify factors associated with uptake of PEP services among HCWs...

OBJECTIVE: Needlestick injury prevalence, protection practices, and attitudes were assessed. Current medical students were compared with 2003 data to assess any changes that occurred with engineered safety feature implementation. BACKGROUND: Risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens is elevated in the operating room particularly with surgeons in training and nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was distributed to medical students (n = 358) and Department of Surgery staff (n = 247)...

Health professionals are under increasing pressure to reduce costs while ensuring patient safety. As the number of vascular access devices (VADs) used in health care continues to increase, there is a need to reduce the complications of infection and occlusion associated with them. Needle-free devices (NFDs), also known as needleless connectors, have been available since the early 1990s and the type and variety of these devices has continued to develop. As well as the original aim of NFDs to maintain a closed system and to reduce the risk of needlestick injuries and blood spillage, NFDs are now designed with the aim of improving clinical outcomes by reducing the common complications of infection and catheter occlusion...

Opioid abuse is a growing and significant public health concern in the United States. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that can rapidly reverse the respiratory depression associated with opioid toxicity. Georgetown University's collegiate-based emergency medical services (EMS) agency recently adopted a protocol, allowing providers to administer intranasal naloxone for patients with suspected opioid overdose. While normally not within the scope of practice of basic life support prehospital agencies, the recognition of an increasing epidemic of opioid abuse has led many states, including the District of Columbia, to expand access to naloxone for prehospital providers of all levels of training...

INTRODUCTION: Occupational hazards such as accidental exposure to sharp, cuts, and splashes are common among health-care workers (HCWs). AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the occurrence of self-reported occupational exposures to these hazards and to know the prevalent practices following the exposure. The second aim was to know the baseline antibody levels against hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) immediately after these accidents...

BACKGROUND: Needlestick injuries (NSIs) are the most common cause of sharps injuries and pose a serious risk to healthcare workers (HCWs). In 2014, 'Technical rule for biological agents in healthcare and welfare facilities' (TRBA 250) was modified in Germany in order to promote the prevention of sharps injuries. AIMS: To examine the epidemiology of NSIs among HCWs in hospitals, doctor's offices and in- and outpatient care; to collect information on the causes of the accidents when safety-engineered devices (SEDs) are used; and to compare the results with the main principles of TRBA 250...

A modified retraction technique was introduced into the DDS degree preclinical anesthesia course in 2011 with the goal of reducing needlestick exposure incidents. In numerous studies of dental exposures, injuries from dental anesthetic needles account for the highest proportion of all exposures. The purpose of this study was to assess the preliminary impact of a modified retraction technique on the incidence of blood and body fluids (BBF) exposure incidents associated with needles during injection. Data from evaluations of students from 2014 and 2015 were obtained and tracked to determine whether the modified retraction technique was "excellent," "clinically acceptable," or "clinically unacceptable...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Nasal delivery offers many benefits over traditional approaches to vaccine administration. These include ease of administration without needles that reduces issues associated with needlestick injuries and disposal. Additionally, this route offers easy access to a key part of the immune system that can stimulate other mucosal sites throughout the body. Increased acceptance of nasal vaccine products in both adults and children has led to a burgeoning pipeline of nasal delivery technology. Key challenges and opportunities for the future will include translating in vivo data to clinical outcomes...

Nurses are subjected to high amount of stress in the medical setting, and work-related stress often leads to mental problems. This study aims to investigate the mental health status of nurses exposed to blood through needlestick injuries. A total of 302 nurses working in the hospital of Guangdong, China, participated in this study. Out of the 302 nurses, 140 did not experience any needlestick injuries during the previous week, whereas 162 nurses experienced needlestick injuries. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-28 Standardized Questionnaire, which uses physical, anxiety, social function, and depression subscales, was used in this study...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.