Did safety-engineered device implementation contribute to reducing the risk of needlestick and sharps injuries? Retrospective investigation of 20 years of observation in a specialist tertiary referral hospital

• Authors: Anna Szczypta , Anna Różańska , Małgorzata Siewierska , Kamil Drożdż , Mirosław Szura , Katarzyna Talaga-Ćwiertnia

Abstracts

EN

Objectives In Poland, there are numerous cases of injuries caused by sharp instruments annually, still significantly more than in other European Union countries. The aim of this study was to analyze work-related injuries among healthcare workers in a selected hospital before and after the implementation of safety-engineered devices (SED). Material and Methods Retrospective analysis of medical documentation regarding occupational needlestick and sharps injuries (NSSI) in a tertiary referral surgical hospital in 1998–2018. The study group consisted of nurses and doctors who had been injured and reported the incident. The frequency of injury reports, injury rate, and characterization of circumstances surrounding NSSI are presented. Results Over the period of 20 years, a total of 257 NSSI incidents were reported. The average injury rate was statistically significant for nurses (p = 0.004) and was higher before the introduction of SED. Moreover, the number of injuries among nurses showed a downward trend during the study period. However, for doctors, there was no statistically significant difference in the median puncture rate (p = 0.099), and the number of injuries showed an increasing trend. Conclusions In this study, the authors’ have demonstrated not only the occurrence of injuries and punctures in the daily work of medical personnel but also the potential for their reduction through the use of safety equipment at every workstation where healthcare services are provided using sharp medical instruments.

Keywords

EN

occupational exposure; needlestick and sharps injuries; safety-engineered device; healthcare workers; implementation of European Union Council Directive; 2010/32/EU

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2024
• Volume: 37
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 234-243

Dates

published

2024

Contributors

author

Anna Szczypta

• Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, Kraków, Poland (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• St. John Grande Hospital, Kraków, Poland

author

Anna Różańska

• Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland (Faculty of Medicine, Chair of Microbiology, Department of Infection Control and Mycology)

author

Małgorzata Siewierska

• St. Rose Hospital, Kraków, Poland (Ophthalmology Clinic)

author

Kamil Drożdż

• Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland (Faculty of Medicine, Chair of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology)

author

Mirosław Szura

• St. John Grande Hospital, Kraków, Poland
• Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland (Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Surgery)

author

Katarzyna Talaga-Ćwiertnia

• Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland (Faculty of Medicine, Chair of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology)

Identifiers

DOI

10.13075/ijomeh.1896.02308

Biblioteka Nauki

31341055