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How Should Healthcare Workers Handle Needlestick Injuries?

by Nichole G. Zehnder, MD •

Dr. Zehnder is a hospitalist and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Denver in Aurora.

Reprinted with permission from the Society of Hospital Medicine.

Key Points

  • 100,000: Amount in dollars the highest payments will exceed.
  • Nearly 300,000 U.S. healthcare workers experience occupational percutaneous injuries annually.
  • Occupational needlestick injuries are underreported.
  • In rare cases, transmission of disease from a percutaneous injury might lead to life-threatening illness.
  • Post-exposure antiviral prophylaxis exists for HIV and HBV, while post-exposure management for HCV centers around identification and treatment of chronic disease.
  • Rates of disease transmission are significantly reduced with timely and appropriate post-exposure antiviral prophylaxis.

References

  1. Mangione CM, Gerberding JL, Cummings SR. Occupational exposure to HIV: Frequency and rates of underreporting of percutaneous and mucocutaneous exposures by medical housestaff. Am J Med. 1991;90:85-90.
  2. Lee JM, Botteman MF, Nicklasson L, Cobden D, Pashos CL. Needlestick injury in acute care nurses caring for patients with diabetes mellitus: a retrospective study. Curr Med Res Opin. 2005;21:741-747.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Workbook for designing, implementing, and evaluating a sharps injury prevention program. CDC website. Accessed May 31, 2015.
  4. Lee JM, Botteman MF, Xanthakos N, Nicklasson L. Needlestick injuries in the United States. Epidemiologic, economic, and quality of life issues. AAOHN J. 2005;53:117-133.
  5. Cardo DM, Culver DH, Ciesielski CA, et al. A case-control study of HIV seroconversion in health care workers after percutaneous exposure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Needlestick Surveillance Group. N Engl J Med. 1997;337:1485-1490.
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exposure to blood: What healthcare personnel need to know. CDC website. Accessed May 31, 2015.
  7. Buergler JM, Kim R, Thisted RA, Cohn SJ, Lichtor JL, Roizen MF. Risk of human immunodeficiency virus in surgeons, anesthesiologists, and medical students. Anesth Analg. 1992;75:118-124.
  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated U.S. Public Health Service guidelines for the management of occupational exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and recommendations for postexposure prophylaxis. CDC website. Accessed May 31, 2015.
  9. Puro V, Petrosillo N, Ippolito G. Risk of hepatitis C seroconversion after occupational exposure in health care workers. Italian Study Group on Occupational Risk of HIV and Other Bloodborne Infections. Am J Infect Control. 1995;23:273-277.
  10. Updated US Public Health Service Guidelines for the management of occupational exposures to Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis. Accessed May 31, 2015.