title: Impact of a shielded safety syringe on needlestick injuries among healthcare workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the impact of a shielded 3 cc safety syringe on needlestick injuries among healthcare workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surveillance study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three medical centers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total number of needlesticks from all sources rose from 134 during the baseline period to 140 during the study phase. However, the overall rate of needlesticks involving 3 cc syringes decreased from 14/100,000 inventory units to 2/100,000, and the frequency declined substantially at each of the participating medical centers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that shielded syringes and related technology may offer potential for reducing the risk of needlestick injuries among hospital and other healthcare employees. This study should be viewed as a preliminary effort to assess the potential of shielded-syringe technology for reducing the risk of needlestick injuries among healthcare workers. The results are encouraging, but more clinical experience with this new device and longer follow up are essential to provide the data necessary for a definitive assessment of efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Infection Control, Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Younger
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McLemore
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D011482:Protective Devices; D012307:Risk Factors; D013594:Syringes / Q000145:classification