Here are four reasons healthcare workers face ongoing risk of injuries from sharps with safety features, according to Occupational Health & Safety.
1. Continued use of active devices. Active devices are instruments that require one- or two-handed activation by healthcare personnel. According to recent research, devices with manual safety features were associated with nearly 11 times more sharps injuries than devices with automatic safety features.
2. Inadequate training. Healthcare organizations must be sure to commit sufficient time and resources to training employees on use of safety sharps.
3. Healthcare worker perceptions. Healthcare employees' perceptions can effect otherwise proper use of safety sharps.
4. Healthcare worker resistance. Healthcare organizations must take time to understand why healthcare professionals resist change and take steps to ensure they are comfortable with using sharps with safety features.
1. Continued use of active devices. Active devices are instruments that require one- or two-handed activation by healthcare personnel. According to recent research, devices with manual safety features were associated with nearly 11 times more sharps injuries than devices with automatic safety features.
2. Inadequate training. Healthcare organizations must be sure to commit sufficient time and resources to training employees on use of safety sharps.
3. Healthcare worker perceptions. Healthcare employees' perceptions can effect otherwise proper use of safety sharps.
4. Healthcare worker resistance. Healthcare organizations must take time to understand why healthcare professionals resist change and take steps to ensure they are comfortable with using sharps with safety features.
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