August 2, 2002

Needlestick injuries are familiar territory for those who work in health care. Whether they take place in a doctor's office or in a busy emergency room, injuries from sharp instruments can happen to even the most experienced clinicians. According to government statistics, an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 needlestick injuries occur annually among health care workers.

Sharp-instrument-related injuries may occur during the use or disposal of hypodermic needles, blood collection needles, intravanenous stylets and other sharp devices such as suture needles, lancets and scalpels. These injuries put employees and staff at risk for serious and potentially fatal infections from bloodborne pathogens, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 62 to 88 percent of these injuries can be prevented.

The MGH has long been committed to providing a safe work environment for employees and staff. In 1991, a task force was launched to focus specifically on needlestick injury prevention. Since its beginning, the MGH Needlestick Reduction Task Force has implemented education and training programs, developed policies and procedures and introduced new and safer medical products to help reduce the number of sharp-instrument-related injuries.

According to Susan Loomis, RN, director of MGH Occupational Health Services (OHS) and a member of the task force, two trials currently are under way to test safer devices for tuberculosis and insulin syringes. "It is important for us to evaluate new products continually and acquire the best technology available to keep the MGH community safe while they work," says Loomis. "The task force also continues to identify some safety devices in which additional education might be required to ensure proper use and to offer training and best practices for proper disposal of sharp devices."

Employees can be at risk for injury from performing even the most common procedure, such as suturing a patient's cut, to more complicated incidents during surgery.

The first step an employee should take if injured is to wash the affected area with soap and water, then immediately tell a supervisor and call OHS. An OHS staff nurse practitioner will evaluate the incident and the risk for the employee. If the exposure risk is considered high or the patient being treated at the time of injury is not identified, the injured employee is offered preventive medications.

"While practicing standard precautions and using safety devices correctly are important, we need employees and staff to report such injuries promptly," says Elisha (Skip) Atkins, MD, chair of the task force. "Reported incidents of injuries and continuous feedback from employees and staff about the use of safety devices will help us to provide a safer environment for all employees."

For more information about needlestick safety at the MGH, call OHS at (617) 726-2217 or visit the MGH needlestick safety website at http://is.partners.org/nrtf/needlestickhome.htm (also accessible from the MGH internal resources web page).