Using an intravenous catheter system to prevent needlestick injury
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Using an intravenous catheter system to prevent needlestick injury

Dimitri Sossai Manager, Health Safety and Prevention Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa
Vincenzo Puro Manager, Department of Epidemiology, Istituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive, Lazzaro Spallanzani, Rome
Luca Chiappatoli Biomedical engineer, Health Safety and Prevention Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa
Giulio Dagnino Biomedical engineer, Health Safety and Prevention Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa
Bernardo Odone Chemist, Health Safety and Prevention Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa
Annamaria Polimeri Biologist, Health Safety and Prevention Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa
Laila Ruzza Registered nurse, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa
Paola Palombo Registered nurse, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa
Marian Stella Fuscoe Registered nurse, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa
Paola Scognamiglio Epidemiologist, Istituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive Lazzaro Spallanzani, Rome, Italy

Aim To identify the effect of a sharps awareness campaign and the introduction of a safety catheter device on the annual incidence of needlestick injuries between 2003 and 2007.

Method In 2003, a sharps awareness campaign began in San Martino Hospital in Genoa, Italy. In 2005, a safety catheter was introduced and healthcare workers were trained in its use. Data for all occupational accidents from 2003 to 2007 were collected and analysed.

Results After introduction of the sharps awareness campaign and use of safety catheters, reported incidents of sharps injuries involving catheters fell from 19 in 2004 to two in 2007 and in neither of those two cases were needlestick prevention devices used. Overall, the rate of needlestick injuries was 24.1 per 100,000 cases when conventional catheters were used and 0.4 per 100,000 cases with safety catheters.

Conclusion The sharps awareness campaign and newly adopted needlestick prevention device may have contributed to the prevention of percutaneous injuries caused by catheters. Until the onset of the campaign, the reported annual incidence of needlestick injuries was six. This increased to a peak of 19 reported injuries in 2004, which could be attributed to improved reporting effected by the campaign.

Nursing Standard. 24, 29, 42-46. doi: 10.7748/ns2010.03.24.29.42.c7628

Correspondence

dimitri.sossai@hsanmartino.it

Peer review

This article has been subject to double blind peer review

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