Epidemiology of accidental needle-puncture wounds in hospital workers.
All employees, including physicians, of a 450 bed hospital were monitored for puncture wounds from contaminated needles over a four-year period. Five hundred seventy-nine incidents were reported. Nurses were involved in 66% of instances, housekeeping 16%, laboratory workers 10%, physicians 4% and x-ray technicians 4%. Many puncture wounds were avoidable, suggesting the need for ongoing employee education. In 67% of the injuries blood from the patient in whom the needle had been used was tested for HBsAg; 1% of those tested were positive. In such instances, employees were given immune globulin. These data indicate that needle puncture wounds are a frequent problem for hospital workers, and carry a risk for transmitting hepatitis B. Efforts to prevent such injuries are needed.
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D009339:Needles; D010414:Pennsylvania; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D011677:Punctures; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000453:epidemiology*