title: Efficacy of safety catheter devices in the prevention of occupational needlestick injuries: applied research in the Liguria Region (Italy).
abstract: Healthcare workers who use or may be exposed to needles are at risk of needlestick injuries, which can lead to serious infections by bloodborne pathogens. These injuries can be avoided by eliminating the unnecessary use of needles and using safety devices. The present study was aimed at evaluating the impact of a safety-engineered device, with passive fully automatic needlestick protection, on the rate of needlestick injuries among healthcare workers. The setting of the study was a network of five public healthcare institutions situated in a Northern Italian Region. Data on the type of device, the number of employees and the number of catheter devices used per year were collected through regular meetings with healthcare workers over a period of five years. The most notable result of this study was the huge risk reduction associated with safety devices. Indeed, the risk of needlestick injuries due to conventional devices was found to be 25-fold higher than that observed for safety devices. However, it is noteworthy that a considerable part of this excess can be explained by the different background number of devices used. Moreover, descriptive analysis suggested that individuals with a poor/moderate training level had a lower risk than those with good/high training, though the difference was not statistically significant. In conclusion, there is convincing evidence of a causal connection between the introduction of safety devices and the reduction in needlestick injuries. This consideration should prompt the introduction of safety devices into daily clinical practice.
authors: Prevention and Protection Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino, IST Genoa, Italy;
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Sossai
authors: Prevention and Protection Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino, IST Genoa, Italy;
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Di Guardo
authors: Prevention and Protection Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino, IST Genoa, Italy;
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Foscoli
authors: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Clinical Trials Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino, IST Genoa, Italy;
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Pezzi
authors: Prevention and Protection Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino, IST Genoa, Italy;
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Polimeni
authors: Prevention and Protection Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino, IST Genoa, Italy;
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Ruzza
authors: Mutagenesis Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino, IST Genoa, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Miele
authors: Mutagenesis Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino, IST Genoa, Italy.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Ottaggio
authors: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Clinical Trials Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino, IST Genoa, Italy;
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Fontana
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Copello
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Dellacà
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Doria
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Onesti
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Montecucco
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Risso
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Nelli
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Benvenuti
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Santacroce
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Giribaldi
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Picelli
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Simonini
authors: Occupational Needlestick Injuries Study Group.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Venturini
mesh_terms: D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011482:Protective Devices
keywords: Healthcare workers; Needlestick injuries; Safety catheter device