title: Sharps and Needlestick Injuries Among Medical Students, Surgical Residents, Faculty, and Operating Room Staff at a Single Academic Institution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The hospital is a place of high risk for sharps and needlestick injuries (SNI) and such injuries are historically underreported.
  
  
  METHODS
  This institutional review board approved study compares the incidence of SNI among all surgical personnel at a single academic institution via an anonymous electronic survey distributed to medical students, surgical residents, general surgery attendings, surgical technicians, and operating room nurses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall survey response rate was 37% (195/528). Among all respondents, 55% (107/195) had a history of a SNI in the workplace. The overall report rate following an initial SNI was 64%. Surgical staff reported SNIs more frequently, with an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 1.33 (p = 0.085) when compared with attendings. When compared with surgical attendings, medical students (IRR of 2.86, p = 0.008) and residents (IRR of 2.21, p = 0.04) were more likely to cite fear as a reason for not reporting SNIs. Approximately 65% of respondents did not report their exposure either because of the time consuming process or the patient involved was perceived to be low-risk or both.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 2 most common reasons for not reporting SNIs at our institution are because of the inability to complete the time consuming reporting process and fear of embarrassment or punitive response because of admitting an injury. Further research is necessary to mitigate these factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York. Electronic address: choil@mail.amc.edu.
authors.forename: Lynn Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Rosalicia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Sohail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Ashar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ata
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Todd D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosati
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016272:Occupational Health; D009871:Operating Room Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Interpersonal and Communication Skills; Medical Knowledge; Patient Care; Practice-Based Learning and Improvement; Professionalism; Systems-Based Practice; medical student; needlestick; operating room nurse; resident; sharps; surgery attending; surgical technician