title: Needle-stick injury: a novel intervention to reduce the occupational health and safety risk in the haemodialysis setting.
abstract: Needle-stick injury (NSI) is a major occupational health and safety issue facing healthcare professionals. The administration of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) in haemodialysis patients represents a major cause for injections. The purpose of this initiative was to familiarise nursing staff with needle-free administration of an ESA in haemodialysis patients to reduce the risk of NSI. Epoetin beta comes in a commercial presentation with a detached needle. Epoetin beta was administered to 10 haemodialysis patients via the venous bubble trap short line of the haemodialysis circuit. An audit was conducted that included a retrospective assessment of NSI for the previous six months; and a prospective assessment for eight weeks to assess whether there is a nursing staff preference for needle-free administration of ESA. There were no reports of NSI in the needle-free group. Haemoglobin levels were maintained. Ninety-one percent of the nursing staff preferred needle-free administration of ESA. In conclusion, the commercial presentation of epoetin beta with the detached needle presents an opportunity to reduce the potential risk of NSI in haemodialysis units.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Stream, Sydney South West Area Health Service, New South Wales, Australia. josephine.chow@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rayment
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jefferys
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suranyi
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000451:nursing; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D016272:Occupational Health; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000451:nursing; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C103998:epoetin beta; D004921:Erythropoietin