title: Percutaneous injuries on the "front line": a survey of housestaff and nurses.
abstract: Our objective was to assess the frequency of work-related percutaneous injuries in two high-risk groups and to compare patterns of injury and reporting in these groups. Data were collected through an anonymous, self-administered survey distributed to all full-time nurses and housestaff. The survey results were compared to Employee Health Service records. Surveys were returned by 258 of 330 housestaff and 455 of 593 nurses for a response rate of 77% (housestaff = 78%; nurses = 76%). The respondents were highly representative of the nursing divisions and residency programs surveyed. The percentage of nurses who had ever sustained percutaneous injuries was 64.7%; for housestaff it was 74.1% (prevalence difference = -9.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -16.4%, -2.4%). The percentage of nurses who had sustained recent injuries was 34.6%; for housestaff it was 43.0% (prevalence difference = -8.4%, 95% CI = -15.9%, -0.9%). Injuries with syringe needles were the most common, followed by injuries with suture needles, scalpels, and then a variety of other sharp objects and instruments. The nurses were more likely to seek care as directed by hospital policy at the Employee Health Service (reporting difference = 29.7%, 95% CI = 19.5%, 39.9%) or the Emergency Room (reporting difference = 11.9%, 95% CI = 8.1%, 20.0%). Knowledge of policy increased the probability of reporting by nurses. The housestaff were more likely to evaluate injuries themselves (reporting difference = -16.7%, 95% CI = -26.8%, -6.6%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Rattner
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Berlin
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015143:Philadelphia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000453:epidemiology*