Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Corso di laurea in infermieristica - Sede di Modena

Abstract

Occupational exposure to biological risk in healthcare professionals is a topic of ethical, managerial, legal and trade union relevance. Since most catheter placement i.v. is performed by the nurse, this professional cathegory is absolutely more exposed to accidental punctures and their consequences.

Aim: the purpose of the study is to evaluate the frequency of accidental punctures, in relation to the use of medical devices whitout and with safety mechanism, and some featuresof these injuries.

Methods: this is a prescriptives observational study. Thanks to the adherence of the Modena Polyclinic to tthe SIROH project (Italian occupational Risk Study of HIV and other blood born pathogens), data an accidental punctures reported  from 2007 to 2016 were collected.

Results: from 2007 to 2011, 47 nurses  reported having points with cannula needles without a security mechanism; from 2012 to 2016  9 nurses have denunced having points with cannula needles with  safety mechanism. The introduction into the use  of cannula needles with safety mechanism has been associated with 80% drop  in the number of accidental  punctures with cannula needles. Of the accidental punctures  reported from 2007 to 2016, the following variables wereevaluated: gender, seniority, of service, year, month, workshift, time in service, work area, room, device, use phase, gloves, puncture location, bleeding, washing and disinfection of the wound.

Conclusions: the introduction in the use of devices with security mechanisms, with proper awareness, information and training, has led to a significant decrease in the frequency of punctures with cannula needle.

Keywords: Needle cannula, nurse, occupational risk, accidental puncture, medical device with safety mechanism.