Sharps-related injuries in California healthcare facilities: pilot study results from the Sharps Injury Surveillance Registry.
OBJECTIVE
In 1998, the California Department of Health Services invited all healthcare facilities in California (n = 2,532) to participate in a statewide, voluntary sharps injury surveillance project. The objectives were to determine whether a low-cost sharps registry could be established and maintained, and to evaluate the circumstances surrounding sharps injuries in California.


RESULTS
Approximately 450 facilities responded and reported a total of 1,940 sharps-related injuries from January 1998 through January 2000. Injuries occurred in a variety of healthcare workers (80 different job titles). Nurses sustained the highest number of injuries (n = 658). In hospital settings (n = 1,780), approximately 20% of the injuries were associated with drawing venous blood, injections, or assisting with a procedure such as suturing. As expected, injuries were caused by tasks conventionally related to specific job classifications. The overall results approximate those reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Surveillance System for Health Care Workers and the University of Virginia's Exposure Prevention Information Network.


CONCLUSIONS
These data further support findings from previous studies documenting the complex and persistent nature of sharps-related injuries in healthcare workers. In the future, mandated reporting using standardized forms and consistent application of decision rules would facilitate a more thorough analysis of injury events.
Gillen
Marion
M
Department of Community Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, Box 0608, San Francisco, CA 94143-0608, USA.
McNary
Jennifer
J
Lewis
Julieann
J
Davis
Martha
M
Boyd
Alisa
A
Schuller
Mary
M
Curran
Chris
C
Young
Carol A
CA
Cone
James
J
D000328:Adult; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018574:Home Care Agencies / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012042:Registries; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States