When it comes to needles, no matter the size, from the smallest 33-gauge hypodermic needle to the biggest 7-gauge needle, it’s safe to assume that no one wants to accidentally get pricked by one.
Although staff at New England Hematology/Oncology Associates PC raised the alarm about the hazardous needle system in use at the facility, the Newton, Mass. medical service provider continued to use a system that was not engineered to reduce the risk of injury, thereby exposing its employees to a variety of biohazards, according to OSHA.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a joint safety communication with OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) which strongly encourages surgeons and other healthcare professionals to use safer, blunt-tip suture needles instead of standard sharps.
About one in two nurses experience blood exposure, other than from a needlestick, on their skin or in their eyes, nose or mouth at least once a month when inserting a peripheral intravenous (IV) catheter, according to a new study by the International Healthcare Worker Safety Center at the University of Virginia.