Report of the Council on Scientific Affairs
Preventing Needlestick Injuries in Health Care Settings
Litjen Tan, PhD;
J. Chris Hawk III, MD;
Melvyn L. Sterling, MD;
for the Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association
Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:929-936.
Needlestick injuries continue to pose a significant risk to health care
workers; however, appropriate use of needlestick prevention devices, especially
in comprehensive prevention programs, can significantly reduce the incidence
of such injuries. Cost analyses indicate that use of these devices will be
cost-effective in the long term. To provide more scientific and cost data
on the efficacy of needlestick prevention devices, recording of needlestick
injuries must be improved. Federal law now requires the use of safety-engineered
sharps devises to protect health care workers, and state-level legislation
on the use and evaluation of needlestick prevention devices is under consideration.
Health care employers should evaluate the implementation of needlestick prevention
devices with the participation of employees who will use such devices and,
where appropriate, introduce such devices accompanied by the necessary education
and training, as part of a comprehensive sharps injury prevention and control
program.
A complete list of the members and staff of the Council on Scientific
Affairs, American Medical Association, at the time this report was prepared
was published previously (Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:334-340).
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