This study assessed protective effects of a continuous introduction of safe instruments in terms of reduction of needle stick injuries. The retrospective study analyzed correlations between the increasing proportion of safe instruments and a reduction of the incidence of needle stick injuries linked to such instruments in a German university hospital over 5 years. Incidents declined about 17.6% from 80.3 incidents per 1000 employees to 66.2, associated with an increase in the proportions of injuries due to instruments without protective mechanisms such as scalpels or hypodermic needles by 12.2%. For injuries due to venipuncture cannulae in various surgical and internal medicine departments, there was a negative association between the proportion of safe instruments and the incidence of injuries. For injection needles, portacath needles, and lancets in selected internal medicine departments, the number of injuries also dropped during this study interval. However, there was no clear-cut association with the percentage of safe instruments. This observational study suggests a correlation between the implementation of use of safe instruments and the reduction of needle stick injuries in a case of a graduated implementation. However, the effects are much less pronounced than in previous interventional studies.
Hofmann F , Kralj N, Beie M: Needle stick injuries in health care – frequency, causes and preventive strategies. Gesundheitswesen 64, 259–266 (2002)
Pruss-Ustun A , Rapiti E, Hutin Y: Estimation of the global burden of disease attributable to contaminated sharps injuries among health-care workers. Am, J Ind Med 48, 482–490 (2005)
Wittmann A : Kosten von Nadelstichverletzungen und wirtschaftlicher Nutzen neuer Sicherheitsprodukte. Prakt Arbeitsmed 5, 40–41 (2006)
Wagner-Ferrer D , Hartmann W: Kostenanalyse einer Nadelstichverletzung. Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin 47, 63–66 (2006)
Butsashvili M , Kamkamidze G, Kajala M, Morse DL, Triner W, DeHovitz J: Occupational exposure to body fluids among healthcare personnels in Georgia. Occup Med (Lond) 65, 1–7 (2012)
Vandijck DM , Labeau SO, Blot SI: Prevention of needlestick injuries among health care workers. Am, J Infect Control 39, 347–348 (2011)
Frickmann H , Reisinger E, Mittlmeier T, Schutt G, Podbielski A: Infektionsprophylaxe nach Nadelstichverletzung. Unfallchirurg 115, 708–716 (2012)
Kuhn N , Wertli M: Needlestick-injuries among health care professionals: guidelines and reality. Praxis (Bern 1994) 100, 151–158 (2011)
Voide C , Darling K, Kenfak-Foguena A, Erard V, Cavassini M, Lazor-Blanchet C: Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University Hospital. Swiss Med Wkly 142, w13523 (2012)
Cheung K , Ching SSY, Chang KKP, Ho SC: Prevalence of and risk factors for needlestick and sharps injuries among nursing students in Hong Kong. Am, J Infect Control 40, 997–1001 (2012)
Wicker S , Jung J, Allwinn R, Gottschalk R, Rabenau HF: Prevalence and prevention of needlestick injuries among healthcare personnels in a German university hospital. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 81, 347–354 (2008)
Salzer HUF , Hoenigl M, Kessler HH, Stigler FL, Raggam RB, Rippel KE, Langmann H, Sprenger M, Krause R: Lack of risk-awareness and reporting behavior towards HIV infection through needlestick injury among European medical students. Int, J Hyg Environ Health 214, 407–410 (2011)
Wicker S , Gottschalk R, Rabenau HF: Risk of needlestick injuries from an occupational medicine and virological viewpoint. Dtsch Arztebl Int 104, A3102-A3107 (2007)
Adams D , Elliott TS: Safety-engineered needle devices: evaluation prior to introduction is essential. J Hosp Infect 79, 174–175 (2011)
Stankovic A : Protection against needlestick injuries: active or passive safety? MLO Med Lab Obs 43, 40/51 (2011)
Adams D , Elliott TS: Impact of safety needle devices on occupationally acquired needlestick injuries: a four-year prospective study. J Hosp Infect 64, 50–55 (2006)
Sohn S , Eagan J, Sepkowitz KA, Zuccotti G: Effect of implementing safety-engineered devices on percutaneous injury epidemiology. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 25, 536–542 (2004)
Orenstein R , Reynolds L, Karabaic M, Lamb A, Markowitz SM, Wong ES: Do protective devices prevent needlestick injuries among health care workers? Am, J Infect Control 23, 344–351 (1995)
Dale JC , Pruett SK, Maker MD: Accidental needlesticks in the phlebotomy service of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic Rochester. Mayo Clin Proc 73, 611–615 (1998)
Mendelsohn MH , Short LJ, Schechter CB, Meyers BR, Rodriguez M, Cohen S, Lozada J, DeCambre M, Hirschman SZ: Study of a needleless intermittent intravenous-access system for peripheral infusions: analysis of staff, patient and institutional outcomes. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 19, 401–406 (1998)
Mendelson MH , Lin Chen BY, Solomon R, Bailey E, Kogan G, Goldbold J: Evaluation of a safety resheathable winged steel needle for prevention of percutaneous injuries associated with intravascular-access procedures among healthcare workers. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 24, 105–112 (2003)
Müller-Barthelmeh R , Buchholz L, Nübling M, Häberle E. Qualitätssicherung bei Nadelschutztechniken. Interventionsstudie zur Senkung der Nadelstichverletzungen durch Instrumente mit Nadelschutztechnik. Arbeitsmedizin Sozialmedizin Umweltmedizin 41, 210–217 (2006)
Whitby M , McLaws ML, Slater K: Needlestick injuries in a major teaching hospital: the worthwhile effect of hospitalwide replacement of conventional hollow-bore needles. Am, J Infect Control 36, 180–186 (2008)
De Carli G , Puro V, Jagger J: Needlestick-prevention devices: we should already be there. J Hosp Infect 71, 183–184 (2009)
Ruiz-Sternberg A , Velez-Van-Meerbeke A, Ruiz-Sternberg J: Clinical acceptability and ease of use of a safety IV catheter system. Curr Med Res Opin 28, 1381–1387 (2012)
Hoffmann C , Buchholz L, Schnitzler P: Reduction of needle stick injuries in healthcare personnel at a university hospital due using safety devices. J Occup Med Tox 8, 20 (2013)
Tosini W , Ciotti C, Goyer F, Lolom I, L’Heriteau F, Abiteboul D, Pellissier G, Bouvet E: Needlestick injury rates according to different types of safety-engineered devices: results of a French multicenter study. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 31, 402–407 (2010)
Colombo C , Masserey V, Ruef C: Incidence of needlestick injuries and other sharps exposures in Swiss acute care hospitals: results of a sentinel surveillance study. J Hosp Infect 77, 181–183 (2011)
Himmelreich H , Rabenau HF, Rindermann M, Stephan C, Bickel M, Marzi I, Wicker S: The management of needlestick injuries. Dtsch Arztebl Int 110, 61–67 (2013)
Camacho-Ortiz A , Diaz-Rodriguez X, Rodriguez-Lopez JM, Martinez-Palomares M, La Palomares-De Rosa A, Garza-Gonzalez E: A 5-year surveillance of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens in a university teaching hospital in Monterrey, Mexico. Am, J Infect Control 41, e85–e88 (2013)
Bilski B : Needlestick injuries in nurses – the Poznan study. Int, J Occup Med Environ Health 18, 251–254 (2005)
Tintinalli J , Hayden S, Larson J: Emergency department phlebotomist: a failed experiment. Ann Emerg Med 44, 185–186 (2004)
Witzel K , Kaminski C, Rauschhardt M, Parzeller M: Die venöse Blutentnahme im klinischen Alltag. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 132, 2495–2499 (2007)
Adams D , Elliott TS: Needle protective devices. J Hosp Infect 65, 280 (2007)
Alvarado-Ramy F , Beltrami EM, Short LJ, Srivastava PU, Henry K, Mendelson M, Gerberding JL, Delclos GL, Campbell S, Solomon R, Fahrner R, Culver DH, Bell D, Cardo DM, Chamberland ME: A comprehensive approach to percutaneous injury prevention during phlebotomy: results of a multicenter study, 1993–1995. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 24, 97–104 (2003)
Perry JL , Pearson RD, Jagger J: Infected health care workers and patient safety: a double standard. Am, J Infect Control 34, 313–319 (2006)
Jagger J , Perry J, Gomaa A, Phillips EK: The impact of U.S. policies to protect healthcare workers from bloodborne pathogens: the critical role of safety-engineered devices. J Infect Public Health 1, 62–71 (2008)
Wicker S , Ludwig AM, Gottschalk R, Rabenau HF: Needlestick injuries among healthcare personnels: occupational hazard or avoidable hazard? Wien Klin Wochenschr 120, 486–492 (2008)
Hofmann F , Wittmann A., Kralj N, Gasthaus K: Immunologischer und sicherheitstechnischer schutz vor HBV-, HCV-und HIV-Virusinfektionen. Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin 47, 37–66 (2006)
Au E , Gossage JA, Bailey SR: The reporting of needlestick injuries sustained in theatre by surgeons: are we underreporting? J Hosp Infect 70, 66–70 (2008)
McGuff J , Popovsky MA: Needlestick injuries in blood collection staff. A retrospective analysis. Transfusion 29, 693–695 (1989)