Publication Date |
2012 |
Personal Author |
Phillips, E. K. |
Page Count |
33 |
Abstract |
Percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharp devices remain an important issue for healthcare workers despite improvements over the past two decades. H.R.5178 (the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act), enacted in 2000, was intended to protect a high-risk population from injury while performing routine, albeit hazardous procedures. This study quantified changes in hospital worker injury rates associated with the legislation. We employed a historical prospective study design, using surveillance data maintained at the University of Virginia International Healthcare Worker Safety Center. We tracked annual injury rates from 1995 through 2005 (reflecting 23,908 reported injuries from 85 hospitals across 10 states). In addition to calculating changes in overall rates, we estimated job-specific annual injury rates for nurses, the employee group experiencing the largest number of occupational sharps injuries. We analyzed the changes in rates using various denominators (FTEs, beds, admissions). |
Keywords |
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Source Agency |
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NTIS Subject Category |
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Corporate Authors |
Virginia Univ., Charlottesville. School of Medicine.; National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Washington, DC. |
Supplemental Notes |
Sponsored by National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Washington, DC. |
Document Type |
Technical Report |
NTIS Issue Number |
201426 |