title: Sensible approaches to avoid needle stick accidents in nuclear medicine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Needle sticks are a continuous concern in the health care environment because of the prevalence of bloodborne pathogens in today's society. Radioactive contamination is another concern with needle sticks during nuclear medicine and nuclear pharmacy procedures. In our institution, substantial efforts have been made to prevent needle sticks, but they still occur occasionally. The purpose of this project was to analyze different practices and products to determine the best protocol in an effort to avoid further needle sticks.
  
  
  METHODS
  The nuclear medicine technologists were surveyed to determine how many needle sticks have occurred and the situation behind each occurrence. Using our initial survey, the circumstances involved in each incident were reviewed, suggestions considered, and various means of protection analyzed. Five options were presented in a second survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the second survey showed that technologists favored the newly designed needle-capping blocks for preventing needle sticks in their daily routine procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The newly designed needle-capping block is best suited for both nuclear medicine and nuclear pharmacy laboratories. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of this new approach in preventing needle sticks.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Medicine, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Schmit
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009683:Nuclear Medicine; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals