Despite increased efforts toward sharps education, sharps injuries, unlike many other workplace harms, remain at concerning levels. In an effort to combat sharps injuries, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration requires use of safer medical devices, prompt disposal of devices in designated sharps containers and appropriate label, storage and handling of the sharps disposal containers.
However, according to AAAHC surveyor Nancy Jo Vinson, RN, these guidelines don't completely protect providers from the risk of a sharps injury. Many surgical settings, ASCs included, have become inured to the problems sharps injuries and blood borne pathogen exposure present.
According to Ms. Vinson, one of the primary reasons for this attitude is because providers in surgical settings have strong opinions on their tools of the trade. "Practitioners and subsequently, managers, frequently equate workers' safety and optimal patient surgical outcomes as a conflict; therefore, if they have ever attempted to utilize a blunt tip suture needle or a self retracting scalpel and didn't like the device, they were done," says Ms. Vinson.
For centers to prevent sharps injuries and remain compliant with sharps standards, Ms. Vinson recommends commitment to a more disciplined approach:
1. Keep use and oversight protocols in place for safety devices. She often sees safety devices onsite but unused, as well as a lack of oversight or requirements for use on behalf of providers and administrators.
2. Management should stay apprised of current OSHA requirements for an exposure control plan. This includes a yearly consideration of safer medical devices and the hiring of healthcare workers with knowledge of identification, evaluation and selection of engineering and work practice controls.
3. A center's exposure control plan should be reviewed at least once a year and whenever necessary. Necessary times for ECP review include the advent of new or modified procedures or employee positions that could present occupational exposure blood borne pathogens.
4. Know the different opportunities for work practice controls versus engineering controls. Work practice controls may be implemented in lieu of engineering control opportunities. "As an example, if there is not an alternative to a sharp object, then a No Hands Zone may be established for passing the identified sharp instruments," says Ms. Vinson.
5. Review current OHSA requirements, blood borne pathogen standards and safety guidelines, and stay ahead of the standards.
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However, according to AAAHC surveyor Nancy Jo Vinson, RN, these guidelines don't completely protect providers from the risk of a sharps injury. Many surgical settings, ASCs included, have become inured to the problems sharps injuries and blood borne pathogen exposure present.
According to Ms. Vinson, one of the primary reasons for this attitude is because providers in surgical settings have strong opinions on their tools of the trade. "Practitioners and subsequently, managers, frequently equate workers' safety and optimal patient surgical outcomes as a conflict; therefore, if they have ever attempted to utilize a blunt tip suture needle or a self retracting scalpel and didn't like the device, they were done," says Ms. Vinson.
For centers to prevent sharps injuries and remain compliant with sharps standards, Ms. Vinson recommends commitment to a more disciplined approach:
1. Keep use and oversight protocols in place for safety devices. She often sees safety devices onsite but unused, as well as a lack of oversight or requirements for use on behalf of providers and administrators.
2. Management should stay apprised of current OSHA requirements for an exposure control plan. This includes a yearly consideration of safer medical devices and the hiring of healthcare workers with knowledge of identification, evaluation and selection of engineering and work practice controls.
3. A center's exposure control plan should be reviewed at least once a year and whenever necessary. Necessary times for ECP review include the advent of new or modified procedures or employee positions that could present occupational exposure blood borne pathogens.
4. Know the different opportunities for work practice controls versus engineering controls. Work practice controls may be implemented in lieu of engineering control opportunities. "As an example, if there is not an alternative to a sharp object, then a No Hands Zone may be established for passing the identified sharp instruments," says Ms. Vinson.
5. Review current OHSA requirements, blood borne pathogen standards and safety guidelines, and stay ahead of the standards.