Sharps injury prevention for hospital workers

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to collect data on self-reported sharps injuries to develop best practices to reduce them. Methods. Data on sharps injuries were collected for the period of January-October 2008 using Adverse Event Notification Forms already in use at Sema Hospital. Results. On average, 0.2% of all self-reported injuries were sharps injuries averaging one injury per month. Housekeeping staff sustained 64% of such injuries, nurses sustained 36% (5 incidents). Outpatient clinics experienced the most injuries at 28%, followed by the Internal Diseases Inpatient Unit with 21% and the Medical Waste Room with 14%. Injuries often occurred during contact with medical waste bags (28%) and while replacing full sharp-boxes (14%). Conclusion. In summary, reducing needle stick injuries is an important component of the occupational and patient safety program at Sema Hospital. The research described in this study allowed the hospital to provide targeted interventions to increase awareness of the risks of needle stick injuries and reduce such injuries. The steps used in the study can be used in any health care organization in the world to design a customized improvement plan to reduce risk and injury.