title: Sharps injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposures in home health care.
abstract: Home health care is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. Approximately 20,000 provider agencies deliver home health care services to 7.6 million individuals with acute illness, long-term health conditions, permanent disability, or terminal illness. The home health care setting poses many challenges that likely increase the risk of sharps injuries. Home health nurses face unique challenges in preventing and reporting sharps injuries in the home. This article examines the nature of and risk factors for sharps injuries in the home health care setting, the scope of the problem, the legislative and regulatory framework relevant to sharps injuries, and the role of occupational health nurses in promoting a culture of safety to prevent sharps injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Health and Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chalupka
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Markkanen
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galligan
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007591:Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D016294:Models, Nursing; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health; D009785:Occupational Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011786:Quality Control; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration
chemical_list: D017744:Medical Waste Disposal