According to the nonprofit organization Safe in Common (SIC), needlestick and sharps injuries affect more than half a million healthcare personnel every year, creating more than $1 billion in preventable healthcare costs annually and an immeasurable emotional toll on millions of healthcare workers. Safe in Common reviewed U.S. healthcare industry statistics, studying rates and costs of needlestick injuries within healthcare facilities.
After examining findings from the Massachusetts Sharps Injury Surveillance System, SIC reports that approximately 1,000 percutaneous injuries happen per day in U.S. hospitals. Cross-referenced with the most recent CDC reports of the cost to treat healthcare personnel, that amounts to an estimated $3,042 per victim each year. The costs include laboratory fees for testing exposed employees, labor associated with testing and counseling, and post-exposure follow-ups.
“These completely preventable injuries, needless cost burdens on the healthcare system, and psychological trauma inflicted on personnel are startling when safer equipment and smarter work practices are available to personnel across the healthcare spectrum,” says Safe in Common Chairperson Mary Foley, PhD, RN. Foley says that introducing safety-engineered devices and providing education and techniques can help make needlestick and sharps injuries a “never event.”
Recent efforts undertaken by Safe in Common to call attention to critical prevention techniques include the June 2013 introduction of the “Top 10 Golden Rules of Safety”—a set of safety device guidelines that were outlined in conjunction with industry experts to create a unified approach to strengthening laws and requiring passive and integrated safety products where available. Read the “Rules,” and access the Massachusetts report.
