Review Article
A review of sharps injuries and preventative strategies

https://doi.org/10.1053/jhin.2002.1378Get rights and content

Abstract

Exposure to bloodborne pathogens from sharps injuries continues to pose a significant risk to healthcare workers (HCW). The number of sharps injuries sustained by HCW is still unclear, primarily due to under-reporting. In this review a mean rate of 4.0% (range 1.0–6.2%) sharps injuries per 10 000 HCW was calculated from eight studies involving more than 7000 HCW. Nurses and doctors were most at risk of sharps injuries, frequently from hollow-bore needles. Approaches to reduce this risk have included education and training on the safe handling and disposal of sharp devices, awareness campaigns and legislative action. More recently, preventative strategies have focused on needle protective devices, which may reduce the rate of sharps injuries. Introducing needle protective devices should be considered particularly in high-risk areas, after training, education, evaluation and cost–benefit analysis.

References (51)

  • Be Sharp-be Safe: Avoiding the Risks of Sharps Injury

    (2001)
  • Department of Health Guidance for Clinical Healthcare workers: protection against infection with blood-borne viruses,...
  • D Adams et al.

    Needle stick injuries

    Hospital

    (2002)
  • Public Health Laboratory Service AIDS & STD Centre, Occupational Transmission of HIV: Summary of Published Reports,...
  • DM Cardo et al.

    A case–control study of HIV seroconversion in health care workers after percutaneous exposure

    N Engl J Med

    (1997)

  • Needlestick Injuries: Sharpen your Awareness. Report of the Short Life Working Group on Needlestick Injuries in the NHS Scotland

    (2001)
  • E Boxall et al.

    Hepatitis C virus: guidance on the risks and current management of occupational exposure

    CDR Rev

    (1993)

  • Alert: Preventing Needlestick Injuries in Health Care Settings

    (1999)
  • J Cone

    Needlestick injury surveillance in California, 1998–1999

    California Morbidity

    (2000)
  • D May et al.

    Sharps injury: prevention and management

    Nurs Standard

    (2001)
  • G Ippolito et al.

    Device specific risk of needlestick injury in Italian health care workers

    JAMA

    (1994)
  • A Hanrahan et al.

    A critical review of the literature on sharps injuries: epidemiology, management of exposures and prevention

    J Adv Nurs

    (1997)
  • JF English

    Reported hospital needlestick injuries in relation to knowledge/skill, design, and management problems

    Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol

    (1992)

  • Safer Needle Devices: Protecting Healthcare Workers

    (1997)
  • T Asai et al.

    Efficacy of catheter needles with safeguard mechanisms

    Anaesthesia

    (2002)

    • Cited by (0)

    f1

    Author for correspondence: Professor T.S.J. Elliott, Consultant Microbiologist, Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TH, UK. Tel.: 01214721311 ext. 3451; Fax: 01214141682; E-mail: [email protected]

    View full text
    Copyright © 2003 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.