Research Plus

Needlestick injuries

Half of all needlestick injuries (NSIs), including 16% involving high-risk patients, are not reported by trainee surgeons to the OH service, with lack of time given as the most common reason for not reporting. The survey of 699 US trainee surgeons (95% response) found that 99% of them had had a needlestick injury by their final year of training and 28% of NSIs go undocumented because the trainee does not see any point in reporting. Of the unreported injuries, the spouse or ‘significant other’ is aware in only 13% of cases.

New England Journal of Medicine 2007 Jun 28; 356(26): 2693-2699.

Tags evidence based practice needlestick

Occupational Health at Work August/September 2007 (vol. 04/2) pp40