Importance of Sharps Safety in the Healthcare Setting
Introduction
Nurses, surgeons, and staff are exposed to one of the deadliest hazards every day: the exposure to blood borne pathogens. There is an estimated “600,000 to 1 million accidental needle sticks and sharps injuries that occur annually in health care settings (Potter, Perry, 2013).” A consequence that can result from being a worker in the healthcare field is exposure to blood borne pathogens with parenteral exposures to healthcare workers occurring more than 400,000 times each year with it being unknown how many are exposures to blood borne pathogens (Bartlett, Tortorice, 2015). Due to this rate of parenteral exposures, sharps safety needs to be emphasized to decrease injury risk as well as the risk of exposure to blood borne pathogens. Sharps safety is extremely important because it reduces the risk of infection to the patient and to the staff. To prevent injury and blood borne pathogens being transferred requires education and protocols for the use of techniques and methods to reduce these risks and incidents. With the use of “double gloves, blunt-tipped surgical needles, and hands-free zones for passing sharps, …show more content…
It is important for health care staff to be aware and use the proper techniques and methods that are proven to reduce the amount of sharps injuries in the healthcare setting. Using these techniques to reduce the risk and incidents of sharps injuries helps prevent infection, diseases, and complications for patients and staff. Patient safety is the number one priority as a health care worker and can be well implemented with knowledge and following guidelines and protocols for the use of sharps. Health care workers who use methods such as double gloving, blunt-tipped needles, the hands-free zone, and proper disposal will reduce the risk and amount of sharps injuries
Introduction
Nurses, surgeons, and staff are exposed to one of the deadliest hazards every day: the exposure to blood borne pathogens. There is an estimated “600,000 to 1 million accidental needle sticks and sharps injuries that occur annually in health care settings (Potter, Perry, 2013).” A consequence that can result from being a worker in the healthcare field is exposure to blood borne pathogens with parenteral exposures to healthcare workers occurring more than 400,000 times each year with it being unknown how many are exposures to blood borne pathogens (Bartlett, Tortorice, 2015). Due to this rate of parenteral exposures, sharps safety needs to be emphasized to decrease injury risk as well as the risk of exposure to blood borne pathogens. Sharps safety is extremely important because it reduces the risk of infection to the patient and to the staff. To prevent injury and blood borne pathogens being transferred requires education and protocols for the use of techniques and methods to reduce these risks and incidents. With the use of “double gloves, blunt-tipped surgical needles, and hands-free zones for passing sharps, …show more content…
It is important for health care staff to be aware and use the proper techniques and methods that are proven to reduce the amount of sharps injuries in the healthcare setting. Using these techniques to reduce the risk and incidents of sharps injuries helps prevent infection, diseases, and complications for patients and staff. Patient safety is the number one priority as a health care worker and can be well implemented with knowledge and following guidelines and protocols for the use of sharps. Health care workers who use methods such as double gloving, blunt-tipped needles, the hands-free zone, and proper disposal will reduce the risk and amount of sharps injuries