Needlestick injury and accidental exposure to blood: the need for improving the hepatitis B vaccination grade among health care workers outside the hospital.
To describe the characteristics of needlestick injuries occurring to health care workers outside the hospital, a new case report form was implemented and analyzed after 12 months. A total of 144 incidents were reported. Of the needlestick injuries in nursing assistants, 84% involved an insulin needle or pen. Thirty-five percent of all health care workers and 47% of the nursing assistants were not vaccinated against hepatitis B. Hepatitis B vaccination grade in health care workers outside the hospital should be improved, in particular among nursing assistants.
Vos
Dieuwke
D
Division of Infectious Disease Control, Rotterdam Public Health Service, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. dieuwke.vos@rivm.nl
Götz
Hannelore M
HM
Richardus
Jan Hendrik
JH
D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D006282:Health Personnel; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009728:Nursing Assistants; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014611:Vaccination
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines