The Impact of Multifocused Interventions on Sharps Injury Rates at an Acute-Care Hospital

1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 806-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn R.M. Gershon ◽  
Lisa Pearse ◽  
Martha Grimes ◽  
Patricia A. Flanagan ◽  
David Vlahov

AbstractObjective:To determine the impact of a multifocused interventional program on sharps injury rates.Design:Sharps injury data were collected prospectively over a 9-year period (1990-1998). Pre- and postinterventional rates were compared after the implementation of sharps injury prevention interventions, which consisted of administrative, work-practice, and engineering controls (ie, the introduction of an anti-needlestick intravenous catheter and a new sharps disposal system).Setting:Sharps injury data were collected from healthcare workers employed by a mid-sized, acute-care community hospital.Results:Preinterventional annual sharps injury incidence rates decreased significantly from 82 sharps injuries/1,000 worked full-time-equivalent employees (WFTE) to 24 sharps injuries/1,000 WFTE employees postintervention (P<.0001), representing a 70% decline in incidence rate overall. Over the course of the study, the incidence rate for sharps injuries related to intravenous lines declined by 93%, hollow-bore needlesticks decreased by 75%, and non-hollow-bore injuries decreased by 25%.Conclusion:The implementation of a multifocused interventional program led to a significant and sustained decrease in the overall rate of sharps injuries in hospital-based healthcare workers.

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalini Sivananjiah Pradeep ◽  
Suman Gadicherla Raghu ◽  
Prathab A G ◽  
Banashankari G Rudresh ◽  
Radhika Kunnavil

The working environment of healthcare workers (HCW) exposes them to sharp injuries. This communication attempts to examine the injury registers, incidence of sharps injuries and blood splash exposures, and the post-exposure prophylaxis status of employees in a tertiary care hospital. Analysis included records form 54 locations of two units of a tertiary hospital attached to a Medical College. Maintenance of the injury register overall was highly satisfactory in both units. Two hundred and nine injuries were recorded from both units of the hospital. The majority of injuries (60.5%) occurred in the age group of 20-30 years with 70% among females. Waste handlers were at increased risk during waste management procedures. Thirty two percent of sharps injury injuries occurred in wards. Of the ward nursing staff, 25.3% received sharps injuries. Post-exposure prophylaxis for Hepatitis B (primary dose) was given to 25 HCWs; 11 received booster doses. The basic regimen for HIV post-exposure prophylaxis was given to 4 HCWs. Awareness about records maintenance, regular documentation, awareness and training, and implementation of appropriate preventive measures can reduce the incidence of injuries. Key words: Sharps, injury register, Health care workers (HCW),Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP)


2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 538-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela K. Laramie ◽  
Vivian C. Pun ◽  
Shona C. Fang ◽  
David Kriebel ◽  
Letitia Davis

Objective.Sharps with engineered sharps injury protections (SESIPs) have been found to reduce risk of sharps injuries (Sis). We examined trends in SI rates among employees of acute care hospitals in Massachusetts, including the impact of SESIPs on SI trends during 2002-2007.Design.Prospective surveillance.Setting.Seventy-six acute care hospitals licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.Participants.Employees of acute care hospitals who reported Sis to their employers.Methods.Data on Sis in acute care hospitals collected by the Massachusetts Sharps Injury Surveillance System were used to examine trends in SI rates over time by occupation, hospital size, and device. Negative binomial regression was used to assess trends.Results.During 2002-2007, 16,158 Sis among employees of 76 acute care hospitals were reported to the surveillance system. The annual SI rate decreased by 22%, with an annual decline of 4.7% (P< .001). Rates declined significantly among nurses (—7.2% per year;P< .001) but not among physicians (—0.9% per year;P= .553). SI rates associated with winged steel needles and hypodermic needles and syringes also declined significantly as the proportion of injuries involving devices with sharps injury prevention features increased during the same time period.Conclusion.SI rates involving devices for which SESIPs are widely available and appear to be increasingly used have declined. The continued use of devices lacking SI protections for which SESIPs are available needs to be addressed. The extent to which injuries involving SESIPs are due to flaws in design or lack of experience and training must be examined.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Garlasco ◽  
M C Ottino ◽  
E Rainero ◽  
A Argentero ◽  
C M Zotti

Abstract Background Needlestick injuries represent a major occupational hazard for healthcare workers as they lead to exposure to biological fluids, with higher risk of bloodborne pathogen infections. In order to minimise this risk, safety-engineered devices (SEDs) have been developed and introduced into the daily hospital practice. An annual survey, conducted by the Department of Public Health Sciences of the University of Turin since 1999, has been evaluating the number of percutaneous accidents in the hospitals of Piedmont (Italy), assessing also the impact of the introduction of SEDs on the injury incidence rate. The aim of this study is therefore to evaluate the efficacy of SEDs in preventing needlestick injuries. Methods Data about percutaneous injuries and needle consumption were obtained from 42 hospitals of Piedmont for the years 2014-2017, concerning all the types of needles and sharps most commonly used in the departments. After considering the overall trend of percutaneous events, standardised rates for 100000 needles were computed for both SEDs and conventional devices. The same analysis was performed considering all sharps except standard needles, which are mainly used for procedures not involving contact with patients (e.g. drug dilution). Results The comparison between the incidence rates with SEDs and conventional devices showed a slightly protective effect of SEDs in 2014, 2016 and 2017, with an incidence rate ratio ranging from 0.78 to 0.97. However, by removing the confounding effect of standard needles, the analysis yielded strong statistical evidence of the protective effect of SEDs for all years (RR = 0.28-0.63). Moreover, the total number of percutaneous events shows a trend of general decrease. Conclusions Safety devices have proved to be significantly effective in the prevention of needlestick injuries, and their introduction into the daily practice is one of the factors who could contribute to a reduction of percutaneous events. Key messages Safety-engineered devices are a very important tool in the prevention of injuries in healthcare workers, and their introduction into hospital practice has reduced the number of percutaneous injuries. Safety-engineered devices are significantly protective against percutaneous injuries compared to conventional ones, especially for procedures involving contact with patients (therefore at high risk).


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s258-s259
Author(s):  
James Harrigan ◽  
Ebbing Lautenbach ◽  
Emily Reesey ◽  
Magda Wernovsky ◽  
Pam Tolomeo ◽  
...  

Background: Clinically diagnosed ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is common in the long-term acute-care hospital (LTACH) setting and may contribute to adverse ventilator-associated events (VAEs). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common causative organism of VAP. We evaluated the impact of respiratory P. aeruginosa colonization and bacterial community dominance, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, on subsequent P. aeruginosa VAP and VAE events during long-term acute care. Methods: We enrolled 83 patients on LTACH admission for ventilator weaning, performed longitudinal sampling of endotracheal aspirates followed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina HiSeq), and bacterial community profiling (QIIME2). Statistical analysis was performed with R and Stan; mixed-effects models were fit to relate the abundance of respiratory Psa on admission to clinically diagnosed VAP and VAE events. Results: Of the 83 patients included, 12 were diagnosed with P. aeruginosa pneumonia during the 14 days prior to LTACH admission (known P. aeruginosa), and 22 additional patients received anti–P. aeruginosa antibiotics within 48 hours of admission (suspected P. aeruginosa); 49 patients had no known or suspected P. aeruginosa (unknown P. aeruginosa). Among the known P. aeruginosa group, all 12 patients had P. aeruginosa detectable by 16S sequencing, with elevated admission P. aeruginosa proportional abundance (median, 0.97; IQR, 0.33–1). Among the suspected P. aeruginosa group, all 22 patients had P. aeruginosa detectable by 16S sequencing, with a wide range of admission P. aeruginosa proportional abundance (median, 0.0088; IQR, 0.00012–0.31). Of the 49 patients in the unknown group, 47 also had detectable respiratory Psa, and many had high P. aeruginosa proportional abundance at admission (median, 0.014; IQR, 0.00025–0.52). Incident P. aeruginosa VAP was observed within 30 days in 4 of the known P. aeruginosa patients (33.3%), 5 of the suspected P. aeruginosa patients (22.7%), and 8 of the unknown P. aeruginosa patients (16.3%). VAE was observed within 30 days in 1 of the known P. aeruginosa patients (8.3%), 2 of the suspected P. aeruginosa patients (9.1%), and 1 of the unknown P. aeruginosa patients (2%). Admission P. aeruginosa abundance was positively associated with VAP and VAE risk in all groups, but the association only achieved statistical significance in the unknown group (type S error <0.002 for 30-day VAP and <0.011 for 30-day VAE). Conclusions: We identified a high prevalence of unrecognized respiratory P. aeruginosa colonization among patients admitted to LTACH for weaning from mechanical ventilation. The admission P. aeruginosa proportional abundance was strongly associated with increased risk of incident P. aeruginosa VAP among these patients.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


Author(s):  
Jonathan Plante ◽  
Karine Latulippe ◽  
Edeltraut Kröger ◽  
Dominique Giroux ◽  
Martine Marcotte ◽  
...  

Abstract Older persons experiencing a longer length of stay (LOS) or delayed discharge (DD) may see a decline in their health and well-being, generating significant costs. This review aimed to identify evidence on the impact of cognitive impairment (CI) on acute care hospital LOS/DD. A scoping review of studies examining the association between CI and LOS/DD was performed. We searched six databases; two reviewers independently screened references until November 2019. A narrative synthesis was used to answer the research question; 58 studies were included of which 33 found a positive association between CI and LOS or DD, 8 studies had mixed results, 3 found an inverse relationship, and 14 showed an indirect link between CI-related syndromes and LOS/DD. Thus, cognitive impairment seemed to be frequently associated with increased LOS/DD. Future research should consider CI together with other risks for LOS/DD and also focus on explaining the association between the two.


2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Dranitsaris ◽  
Diana Spizzirri ◽  
Monique Pitre ◽  
Allison McGeer

Background: There is a considerable gap between randomized clinical trials and implementing the results into practice. This is particularly relevant in the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in hospitals. Hospital pharmacists can be effective vehicles for bridging this gap and promoting evidence-based medicine. To determine the most effective way of using the pharmacist in this role, a prospective cefotaxime intervention study was conducted with randomization incorporated into the design as well as patient-related therapeutic outcomes.Methods: A total of 323 patients who were prescribed cefotaxime were randomized into an intervention or nonintervention group where only the former was challenged by pharmacists for inappropriate cefotaxime usage relative to hospital guidelines. The primary outcome was the appropriateness of cefotaxime prescribing between groups. Logistic regression analysis was then used to identify factors that were associated with successful clinical response.Results: Overall, 94% of orders in the intervention group met cefotaxime dosage criteria compared with 86% in the control group (p = .018). However, there was no impact with respect to promoting cefotaxime use for an appropriate indication (81% vs. 80%; p = .67). There was a trend for improved clinical outcomes in patients who received cefotaxime within hospital guidelines (OR = 1.73; p = .31).Conclusions: The pharmacist as a vehicle for promoting the appropriate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in the acute care hospital setting can improve the dosing of such agents. However, several barriers to optimizing the impact of the pharmacist were implied by the data. Removing these barriers could increase the pharmacists' utility as an agent for improved patient care.


Author(s):  
Houssein H. Ayoub ◽  
Hiam Chemaitelly ◽  
Shaheen Seedat ◽  
Monia Makhoul ◽  
Zaina Al Kanaani ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundMathematical modeling constitutes an important tool for planning robust responses to epidemics. This study was conducted to guide the Qatari national response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic. The study investigated the time course of the epidemic, forecasted healthcare needs, predicted the impact of social and physical distancing restrictions, and rationalized and justified easing of restrictions.MethodsAn age-structured deterministic model was constructed to describe SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics and disease progression throughout the population.ResultsThe enforced social and physical distancing interventions flattened the epidemic curve, reducing the peaks for incidence, prevalence, acute-care hospitalization, and intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalizations by 87%, 86%, 76%, and 78%, respectively. The daily number of new infections was predicted to peak at 12,750 on May 23, and active-infection prevalence was predicted to peak at 3.2% on May 25. Daily acute-care and ICU-care hospital admissions and occupancy were forecast accurately and precisely. By October 15, 2020, the basic reproduction number R0 had varied between 1.07-2.78, and 50.8% of the population were estimated to have been infected (1.43 million infections). The proportion of actual infections diagnosed was estimated at 11.6%. Applying the concept of Rt tuning, gradual easing of restrictions was rationalized and justified to start on June 15, 2020, when Rt declined to 0.7, to buffer the increased interpersonal contact with easing of restrictions and to minimize the risk of a second wave. No second wave has materialized as of October 15, 2020, five months after the epidemic peak.ConclusionsUse of modeling and forecasting to guide the national response proved to be a successful strategy, reducing the toll of the epidemic to a manageable level for the healthcare system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Hess ◽  
David I. Swedler ◽  
Christine S. Collins ◽  
Brent A. Ponce ◽  
Eugene W. Brabston

Context Injuries in professional ultimate Frisbee (ultimate) athletes have never been described. Objective To determine injury rates, profiles, and associated factors using the first injury-surveillance program for professional ultimate. Design Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting American Ultimate Disc League professional ultimate teams during the 2017 season. Patients or Other Participants Sixteen all-male teams. Main Outcome Measure(s) Injury incidence rates (IRs) were calculated as injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs). Incidence rate ratios were determined to compare IRs with 95% confidence intervals, which were used to calculate differences. Results We observed 299 injuries over 8963 AEs for a total IR of 33.36 per 1000 AEs. Most injuries affected the lower extremity (72%). The most common injuries were thigh-muscle strains (12.7%) and ankle-ligament sprains (11.4%). Running was the most frequent injury mechanism (32%). Twenty-nine percent of injuries involved collisions; however, the concussion rate was low (IR = 0.22 per 1000 AEs). Injuries were more likely to occur during competition and in the second half of games. An artificial turf playing surface did not affect overall injury rates (Mantel-Haenszel incidence rate ratio = 1.28; 95% confidence interval = 0.99, 1.67). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first epidemiologic study of professional ultimate injuries. Injury rates were comparable with those of similar collegiate- and professional-level sports.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (9) ◽  
pp. 854-858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudy J. Judhan ◽  
Raquel Silhy ◽  
Kristen Statler ◽  
Mija Khan ◽  
Benjamin Dyer ◽  
...  

Acute care of children remains a challenge due to a shortage of pediatric surgeons, particularly in rural areas. In our institutional norm, all cases in patients age six and older are managed by dedicated general surgeons. The provision of care to these children by these surgeons alleviates the impact of such shortages. We conducted a five-year retrospective analysis of all acute care pediatric surgical cases performed in patients aged 6 to 17 years by a dedicated group of adult general surgeons in a rural tertiary care hospital. Demographics, procedure, complications, outcomes, length of stay, and time of consultation/operation were obtained via chart review. Elective, trauma related, or procedures performed by a pediatric surgeon were excluded. Descriptive statistics are reported. A total of 397 cases were performed by six dedicated general surgeons during the study period. Mean age was 11.5 ± 3.1 years. In all, 100 (25.2%) were transferred from outlying facilities and 52.6 per cent of consultations/operations occurred at night (7P–7A), of which 33.2 per cent occurred during late night hours (11P–7A). On weekends, 34.0 per cent occurred. Appendectomy was the most commonly performed operation (n = 357,89.9%), of which 311 were laparoscopic (87.1%). Others included incision/drainage (4.5%), laparoscopic cholecystectomy (2.0%), bowel resection (1.5%), incarcerated hernia (0.5%), small bowel obstruction (0.5%), intraabdominal abscess drainage (0.3%), resection of intussusception (0.3%), Graham patch (0.3%), and resection omental torsion (0.3%). Median length of stay was two days. Complications occurred in 23 patients (5.8%), of which 22(5.5%) were the result of the disease process. These results parallel those published by pediatric surgeons in this age group and for the diagnoses treated. Models integrating dedicated general surgeons into pediatric call rotations can be designed such that quality of pediatric care is maintained while providing relief to an overburdened pediatric surgical workforce.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S268-S268
Author(s):  
Adriana Jimenez ◽  
Kathleen Sposato ◽  
Alicia de Leon-Sanchez ◽  
Regina Williams ◽  
Reynande Francois ◽  
...  

Abstract Background MRSA is a major concern for hospitalized patients in the United States. Hospital-Onset (HO) MRSA bacteremia is used as a proxy measurement of MRSA healthcare acquisition, exposure, and infection burden. HO MRSA bacteremia standardized infection ratio (SIR) is used by several national agencies as a quality report metric. Our institution had more than expected HO MRSA bacteremia cases despite several interventions. We describe the impact of a bundle of interventions aimed to decrease HO MRSA bacteremia in an acute care facility. Methods This quality improvement project was implemented in a 380-bed community hospital in Miami, FL from January 2015 to March 2019. HO MRSA bacteremia was defined as non-duplicate MRSA isolated from a blood culture collected >3 days after admission. SIR was calculated dividing the number of observed events by the number of predicted events; predicted events were obtained from the NHSN report. During baseline period (Figure1 Phase 1 January 2015–August 2016) all adult patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) were screened for MRSA nasal colonization on admission and weekly thereafter, ICU patients received daily Chlorhexidine (CHG) bathing, and colonized/infected patients with MRSA were placed in contact precautions. In Phase 2 (September 2016–June 2017)daily CHG bathing was switched from 2% wipes to 4% soap foam and expanded to all adult patients; ICU patients also received nasal decolonization with mupirocin. Nasal mupirocin in ICU was replaced with alcohol-based nasal sanitizer for all adult units in July 2017 (Phase 3). In April 2017 we discontinued using contact precautions for MRSA patients; nasal surveillance cultures were discontinued in October 2017. In May 2018 (Phase 4) we introduced alcohol-based wipes for patient hand hygiene at the bedside. SIR were compared by exact binomial test. Results We observed 48 HO MRSA bacteremia cases during the study period. The SIR decreased from 3.66 to 0.97 from baseline to postintervention periods (P = 0.003). The largest decrease in cases and SIR was attained using combined hospital-wide daily CHG bathing, alcohol-based nasal sanitizer, and alcohol wipes for patient hand hygiene during Phase 4 (Table 1). Conclusion Our bundle of interventions for universal decolonization was successful in decreasing HO MRSA bacteremia. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


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