title: Reducing needlestick injuries through safety-engineered devices: results of a Japanese multi-centre study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quantitative information on the effectiveness of safety-engineered devices (SEDs) is needed to support decisions regarding their implementation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the effects of SED use in winged steel needles, intravenous (IV) catheter stylets and suture needles on needlestick injury (NSI) incidence rates in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Japan EPINet survey data and device utilization data for conventional devices and SEDs were collected from 26 participating hospitals between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2014. The NSI incidence rate for every 100,000 devices was calculated according to hospital, year and SED use for winged steel needles, IV catheter stylets and suture needles. Weighted means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to calculate overall NSI incidence rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, there were 236 NSIs for winged steel needles, 152 NSIs for IV catheter stylets and 180 NSIs for suture needles. The weighted NSI incidence rates per 100,000 devices for SEDs and non-SEDs were as follows: winged steel needles, 2.10 (95% CI 1.66-2.54) and 14.95 (95% CI 2.46-27.43), respectively; IV catheter stylets, 0.95 (95% CI 0.60-1.29) and 6.39 (95% CI 3.56-9.23), respectively; and suture needles, 1.47 (95% CI -1.14-4.09) and 16.50 (95% CI 4.15-28.86), respectively. All devices showed a significant reduction in the NSI incidence rate with SED use (P < 0.001 for winged steel needles, P = 0.035 for IV catheter stylets and P = 0.044 for suture needles).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SED use substantially reduces the incidence of NSIs, and is therefore recommended as a means to prevent occupational infections in healthcare workers and improve healthcare safety.
authors.affiliation: Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Maidashi, Higashi-Ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Electronic address: h_fukuda@hcam.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.affiliation: Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Maidashi, Higashi-Ku, Fukuoka, Japan; Kitakyushu General Hospital, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: EPINet; Intravenous catheter stylets; Needlestick injury; Safety-engineered device; Suture needles; Winged steel needles