Investigating the incidence and type of sharps injuries within the nursing student population in the UK

Aims: To identify the incidence and type of sharps injuries within a UK nursing student population. Background: Evidence suggests that nursing students sustain sharps injuries across the world, but there is a lack of data from the UK. Design: Questionnaire survey. Methods: A survey was administered to a volunteer sample of nursing students (n=1015) in a university, following which the survey was distributed to nursing students nationwide using snowball sampling via social media. Datasets from 1015 nursing students were available for analysis. Results: Sharps injuries were most likely to occur with glass ampoules, when preparing injections and to occur in the second year of the programme. Contributing factors to sharps injury were identified, with inexperience being the primary cause. Some nursing students reported psychological impacts after sustaining the sharps injury. Conclusion: Sharps injuries are common among nursing students, and can have many psychological consequences for an individual.

307 Awareness and Reporting of Needle Stick Injury Amongst Junior Doctors in a General Surgery Department

Introduction This audit was performed to see if a new cohort of junior doctors in a general surgery department had received legally required sharps injury training, assess knowledge on what to do if a needle stick/splash injury were to occur; and to provide necessary training. Method Questionnaires about trust needle stick policy training including current job grade, awareness of general principles, reporting of previous needle stick injuries and barriers to reporting of needle stick injuries were filled in. Training was provided on needle free devices and trust needle stick/splash injury protocol. After training, a second questionnaire was filled in to see if there was better understanding of the trust protocol and the necessary steps after injury. The same group of junior doctors were re-audited at a later date to see if the knowledge gained from training had been retained. Results All junior doctors (total of 11) in general surgery reported receiving no formal needle stick/splash training since starting at the trust on the trust policy and no formal induction on needle-free devices and what to do in the event of a needle stick injury since starting at the trust. All doctors felt aware of what to do after training provided with time pressures being identified as a barrier for not reporting all needle stick injuries. Re-audit one month later demonstrated all doctors had awareness of the trusts needle stick/splash injury protocol. Conclusions The training provided was effective in providing legally required training and improving staff and patient safety.

987 Braidlock - The Evolution of a Novel Drain Securing Device

Introduction The use of drains in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is widespread and the securing method using a silk suture laddering along the drain in a standard ‘roman sandal’ pattern is well established. Other methods include tie-lock with sutures and adhesive dressings. We describe the use of a braided device (Braidlock®) without using sutures, based on the concept of a Chinese finger trap, to secure the drain onto patients' skin using tissue adhesive. We report the evolutionary changes of Braidlock. Device Evolution Braidlock® is a Class I non-invasive disposable medical device which provides securement of lines, drains and catheters to a patient using tubing from 3.5Fr to 36Fr. The diameter of the Braidlock® expands when the device is compressed, similar to a ‘Chinese finger trap’. A line can then be inserted through the device and into the body. When decompressed, the Braidlock® squeezes the line tightly and securely. The initial Braidlock® device was hook & loop which required suturing to secure onto skin. Integrated adhesive is a recent invention. Advancement With advances in adhesive dressing and ultrasonic wielding between the plastic casing and adhesive pads, Braidlock® drain securing device appears to be a safe medical device that enables successful securement of drains. Braidlock® may represent a cost saving relative to the conventional suture pack for drain securement. Conclusions This new drain securing device offers a cost effective and reliable alternative to the standard suture fixation. This will eliminate the risk of sharps injury and allow shortening of the drain by ward staff with minimal training.

The experience and psychological impact of a sharps injury on a nursing student population in the UK

Aims: The aims of this study were to explore the experience and psychological impact of sustaining a sharps injury within a nursing student population in the UK. Design: A qualitative approach was taken, using two methods to gather data, namely a Twitter chat and interviews. Methods: A Twitter chat was orchestrated to investigate the experiences of sharps injury with nursing students and registered nurses nationwide (n=71). Interviews were conducted with nursing students from a university in the UK who had sustained a sharps injury (n=12) to discover their experiences and the impact of the injury. Findings were then synthesised and examined. Results: Some nursing students reported psychological impacts after sustaining the sharps injury, which affected both their professional and personal life. The qualitative findings were synthesised into eight themes. Conclusion: Sharps injuries can have many psychological impacts on the individual nursing student and necessary support should be available.

Needlestick Injuries Among Healthcare Workers Administering COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States

As mass COVID-19 vaccination programs roll out across the country, we are potentially faced with compromising workers’ health for the sake of the broader public health, as it relates to occupational exposure to contaminated needles and syringes. We have the opportunity to provide recommendations that advance protection of workers through the industrial hygiene hierarchy of controls, especially in light of the twentieth anniversary of the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act. Specifically, greater focus on institutional controls that can dictate the safety culture and climate of institutions that roll out COVID-19 vaccination programs, while maintaining careful focus on preventing sharps injuries and blood exposure. In addition, we provide suggestions for the role that engineering controls, such as devices with sharps injury prevention features play in protecting workers from exposure to bloodborne pathogens, as well as the importance of ongoing injury incident surveillance.

A retrospective analysis of non-sharps related injuries in a dental school setting’’

Background Workplace non-sharps injuries are a common occurrence in a dental school setting. In dentistry, the importance of preventing non-sharps injuries is often overlooked due to emphasis on sharps-related injuries in clinical and laboratory settings. To analyse the incidences of non-sharps injuries over a 10 year period in a dental school to identify trends and the possible causative factors for these injuries. Methods Injury reports lodged with the UQ Workplace Health and Safety databases between 2009 and 2019 were categorised and analysed. Results Of 1156 incidents reported, 35.7% (n = 413) were non-sharps injuries, the most common type of non-sharps injury was general incidents (48.4%, n = 200). The most common body site for injury was the hands (19.4%, n = 80) and the most common location where an injury occurred was when working in clinical patient care (53.8%, n = 222). The personnel type most at risk of a non-sharps injury fluctuated between students and staff throughout the study period. Conclusions All personnel, including students and staff, are at similar risk of experiencing a non-sharps injury within a dental school setting. The equipment and facilities of a dental clinic as well as adherence to safe working procedures and correct protocols are contributing factors. Continuous quality improvement is essential for minimising these injuries.

Ergonomic Process Improvement for Mapping Risk and Identifying Key Interventions for Eliminating Injuries from Needles and Sharps in the OR

The risk of a needle stick or sharps injury in the operating room (OR) is high due to conditions such as minimal physical protective measures, frequent transfer of sharps, and reliance on human attention and skill for injury avoidance. An ergonomic process improvement project was initiated at a large metro teaching hospital to identify ergonomic risk factors for these OR injuries. To maximize the engagement of the front- end users, an ergonomic process improvement (EPI) team was developed, consisting of representatives from participating OR teams, an employee health nurse and two ergonomists. Surveys, observations, and interviews were conducted to quantify injury risk for the OR teams, evaluate barriers to best practice adherence, and identify opportunities for targeted interventions. Risk mapping was completed for the surgeons, surgical techs and OR nurses identifying double gloving and safe passing zone as areas in need of improvement. Through observation and interviews, researchers identified physical factors relating to musculoskeletal pain and cognitive factors leading to distractions as safety risk concerns. The overall success of the EPI was the engagement of the OR teams and surgeons in the process of identifying risk factors and potential opportunities for ergonomic solutions related to cognitive workload, physical workload, teamwork, and work design for injury prevention. The risk factors identified will provide the basis for developing targeted, effective interventions for eliminating injuries from needles and sharps within the OR.