Sharps injuries in the operating room

Authors: Parvin Lakbala Ghasem Sobhani Mahboobeh Lakbala Kavoos Dindarloo Inaloo Hamid Mahmoodi

Publish Date: 2014/08/01

Volume: 19, Issue: 5, Pages: 348-353

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Abstract

Two hundred and fifty appropriate responders completed the questionnaire 86  Anaesthesia 59 274  and operation room technicians 55 256  sustained the greatest numbers of NSSIs over the past year Awareness of local protocols was significantly worse in the residents group The commonest reasons for noncompliance with NSSIs local protocols were not sure of the local protocols 44 204  and prolonged operation so unable to leave operation table 37 173 A revision of the local protocol to reduce the time it takes to complete may improve compliance Education is of paramount importance in making health care workers aware of this issue The application of safety devices led to a reduction in NSSIs and reduces the risk of blood borne infection as wellSharps injuries are common within surgical practices and carry the risk of transmission of blood borne viruses 1 The risk of infection for health care personnel depends on the prevalence of disease in the patient population and the nature and frequency of exposures Surgeons and surgical trainees are at special risk due to the nature and frequency of the procedures they perform 2 3 4 Although most surgeons are now adequately vaccinated against hepatitis B there is no vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus HIV or hepatitis C Blood borne viruses BBVs represents a global pandemic 5 Occupational blood exposure is an even more important problem in developing countries than in developed ones Highrisk behaviors such as lack of compliance with universal precautions twohanded needle recapping improper needle disposal inadequate injection practices and lacking hepatitis B vaccination were significantly more frequent in developing countries 6 7The published literature indicates that healthcare professionals in particular surgeons continue to demonstrate poor compliance with universal precautions 8 However data on the specifics of which personnel are at greater risk and what practices change the risk in this environment are almost nonexistent Therefore NSSIs to ORs personnel continue to occur Surgeons can protect themselves by using protective equipment such as double gloves or goggles or by altering the operating practice Reporting of injuries to occupational health departments can reduce rates of injury by identifying risk prone behaviors and practices An accurate risk assessment can be performed and postexposure prophylaxis provided if necessary 9 Despite the benefits of reporting such injuries and clear guidance for health care facilities on essential safe injection infusion and needlestick injuries from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the ministry of health of Iran it has been suggested that many OR personnel do not observe the guidance We aimed to identify who sustains such injuries under what circumstances and what actions are taken to minimize the risk in response to intraoperative needlestick and sharps injuriesThe crosssectional study was conducted in September 2013 on 215 of ORs personnel in 14 hospitals including 12 government and 2 private hospitals in Hormozgan province Iran Except 2 military hospitals which we did not have permission as well as one private hospital on Kish Island all hospitals in Hormozgan province with active operation room included in this study Those 14 hospitals with 1435 beds admitted 446 inpatients daily with a procedure of 217 surgeries per day

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