Are We Still in the Dark Ages of Sharps Safety?

Clarke says he is troubled by the Epi-Net data suggesting that numerous NSIs are being caused by HCWs using non-safety syringes. “For example, if the injury was caused by a needle, 55 percent reported that it wasn’t a safety syringe being used at the time,” Clarke says. “If the safety feature was activated, 78 percent of HCWs who sustained an injury by a safety device didn’t activate the safety feature! Is it a HCW behavioral issue, or is it a safety product design issue? There’s so much in the Epi-Net data that points to these two issues, so we keep coming back to the fact that there are still too many non-safety devices used in hospitals.”

Jeanne Barry-Dimech of St. Mary’s MedicalCenter in San Francisco reports that she has seen an improvement in sharps injuries reporting for 2006 to 2007, explaining that she conducted an ambitious educational campaign in 2006, as well as “fixed a lot of process problems and pushed for disciplinary action when the employee totally did not use the safety device.” Barry-Dimech reports that in 2006, there were 31 total exposures, including 11 needlesticks, another 15 sharp injuries in surgery, and two splashes.

In 2007, there were 20 total exposures, including six needlesticks, five sharps injuries in surgery, and six splash exposures. So far in 2008, Barry-Dimech reports there have been 13 total exposure, including six needlesticks, three splash exposures and three sharps injuries in surgery.