title: Needle safety in an endoscopy unit.
abstract: Personnel in GI Endoscopy units are at higher risk than health care workers in general for exposure to Hepatitis B and Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standards require personal protective equipment including gloves, goggles, masks, water-impervious gowns, shoe covers, sharps containers, and biohazardous waste containers to be readily available. Special hazards in endoscopy make staff compliance both essential and challenging. Contaminated needle sticks are a common occupational injury in this setting, and one GI unit has developed several safeguards to increase staff's protection. These safeguards include inserting all intravenous lines in the safest, most accessible site: the right forearm; hanging IV fluids on all patients whose procedures are done in the radiology suite; and employing the needle recapping system that is cost-effective and easy to use in the endoscopy setting.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ragsdale
mesh_terms: D004724:Endoscopy; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health