The increasing rate of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the community means that there is increased risk of occupational exposure for healthcare workers. In metropolitan hospitals in Victoria, we found that 80-150 healthcare workers have occupational exposures from HCV-infected patients annually. As there is a 1.8%-3% risk of transmission of HCV from a needlestick injury, two to five health...

BACKGROUND Healthcare personnel (HCP) is exposed to bloodborne pathogens through occupational risk factors. The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of needlestick injuries (NSIs) before and after the introduction of safety devices in all departments of our hospital. METHODS Data was extracted from mandatory needlestick report forms of the hospital's Occupational Health Servic...

The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess home health care nurses' exposure to bloodborne pathogens, evaluate Medicare Certified Home Healthcare Agency (MCHHA) and hospice organization practices related to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens Standard and the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, and link the two to recommend safety improvem...

Results: A total of 435 HCWs completed the questionnaire. 1. A total of 46.7% of respondents had suffered from either needlestick/sharps injury (74.47%) or contamination of skin/mucous membranes (25.53%). 2. A total of 76.9% of all needlestick/sharps injuries were inflicted by injection needles. 3. Taking blood was the most dangerous procedure/activity: it was responsible for 29.56% of all inju...

BACKGROUND An estimated 1 million needlestick injuries (NSIs) occur in Europe each year. The Council Directive 2010/32/EU on the prevention of NSIs describes minimum requirements for prevention and calls for the implementation of local, national and Europe-wide reporting systems. The Directive is to be implemented by all EU member states by 11 May 2013. The purpose of this study was to assess (...

Great question! It?s wise to be in the know about workplace health risks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 385,000 sharps-related injuries (i.e., being stuck by a needle) occur in health care workers each year in the United States. But, fear not! There are things you can do to prevent a needlestick injury from happening (more on this later)! Gett...

BACKGROUND Needlestick injuries (NSIs) are a common occupational hazard with potential physical health effects, including viral infections such as hepatitis and HIV. Less appreciated are the psychiatric consequences of NSIs, potentially including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and adjustment disorder (AD). AIMS To study psychiatric consequences of NSIs by diagnosis, duration and severi...