Authors
Gershon-RR; Pearse-L; Grimes-M; Flanagan-PA; Vlahov-D
Source
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1999 Dec; 20(12):806-811
Abstract
To determine the impact of a multifocused interventional program on sharps injury rates. Sharps injury data were collected prospectively over a 9-year period (1990-1998). Pre- and postinterventional rates were compared after the implementation of sharps injury prevention interventions, which consisted of administrative, work-practice, and engineering controls (ie, the introduction of an anti-needlestick intravenous catheter and a new sharps disposal system). Sharps injury data were collected from healthcare workers employed by a mid-sized, acute-care community hospital. Preinterventional annual sharps injury incidence rates decreased significantly from 82 sharps injuries/1,000 worked full-time-equivalent employees (WFTE) to 24 sharps injuries/1,000 WFTE employees postintervention (P<.0001), representing a 70% decline in incidence rate overall. Over the course of the study, the incidence rate for sharps injuries related to intravenous lines declined by 93%, hollow-bore needlesticks decreased by 75%, and non-hollow-bore injuries decreased by 25%. The implementation of a multifocused interventional program led to a significant and sustained decrease in the overall rate of sharps injuries in hospital-based healthcare workers.
Keywords
Health-care-facilities; Health-care-personnel; Injuries; Injury-prevention; Work-practices; Engineering-controls; Needlestick-injuries
Contact
Robyn R.M. Gershon, MT, MHS, DrPH, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Room 8503, Baltimore, MD 21205
Document Type
Journal Article
Identifying No.
Grant-Number-R01-OH-003459
Source Name
Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
Performing Organization
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland