Needle safety in an endoscopy unit. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Needle safety in an endoscopy unit.

Gastroenterol Nurs. 1994 Sep-Oct;17(2):68-70. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/95072081
Ragsdale JA

Abstract: Personnel in GI Endoscopy units are at higher risk than health care workers in general for exposure to Hepatitis B and Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standards require personal protective equipment including gloves, goggles, masks, water-impervious gowns, shoe covers, sharps containers, and biohazardous waste containers to be readily available. Special hazards in endoscopy make staff compliance both essential and challenging. Contaminated needle sticks are a common occupational injury in this setting, and one GI unit has developed several safeguards to increase staff's protection. These safeguards include inserting all intravenous lines in the safest, most accessible site: the right forearm; hanging IV fluids on all patients whose procedures are done in the radiology suite; and employing the needle recapping system that is cost-effective and easy to use in the endoscopy setting.
Keywords: *Endoscopy *Hospital Units Human Needlestick Injuries/*PREVENTION & CONTROL *Occupational Health JOURNAL ARTICLEKWDendoscopyKWDhospitalunitshumanneedlestickinjuries/KWDprevention&controlKWDoccupationalhealthjournalarticle
950330
M9530805

Copyright © 1995 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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