Statistics on needlestick injuries
With the implementation of standards for the purpose of protecting healthcare workers from bloodborne pathogen exposure and sharp-related injury as well as advances in safety-engineered devices, the incidence of needlestick injuries (NSI) has decreased according to data from the International Safety Center Exposure Prevention Information Network[1]. Several countries, including the US and EU, have enacted regulations mandating the use of safety devices.
"Approximatly 5.6 million healthcare workers in the US alone are at risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens via needlestick or other sharps-related injuries according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration." [2] However, a very large number of unreported cases is assumed.
Who is affected the most from needlestick injuries
According to the most recent EPINet data[1], the healthcare personnel with the highest reported rate of sharp-related injury are nurses as this group is associated with frequent use of needles and syringes. Other risk factors that have been shown to contribute to this higher rate of injury include long shifts, understaffing, and inadequacies in needle disposal.
Most NSIs with regard to hospital setting occur in operating rooms, patient rooms or wards, and emergency departments.
[1] EPINet Report for Needlestick and Sharp Object Injuries,” 2020¸ Official-2020-US-Needle-Summary.pdf (internationalsafetycenter.org)
[2] Hospital eTool: Healthcare Wide Hazards - Needlestick/Sharps Injuries.” [Online]. Available: www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/hazards/sharps/sharps.html.
