2006 Study of Needlestick Injuries and Safety Devices - Inviro Encourages Better Needlestick Protection
In its first survey, Inviro Medical Devices wanted to capture information from nurses in the industry and gain insight on the right way to promote better needlestick protection. In a series of survey questions, the company began to understand that an improved safety syringe design was the most important.
An Independent Study Sponsored by Inviro Medical Highlighting an Improved Safety Syringe Design
The 2006 Study of Needlestick Injuries and Safety Devices seeks to understand how U.S. nurses and directors of infection control feel about safety syringes and the concern for increased needlestick protection. The independent study, sponsored by Inviro Medical, reveals a staggering number of nurses nationwide have been stuck by a contaminated needle and feel strongly that the modern safety syringe design could be improved.
Concern about needlestick injuries
70% of U.S. nurses surveyed said they worry about improving needlestick protection in their typical workday. Other concerns include back strains, splashes, and falls.
Safety syringe design leaves something to be desired
When asked if there was room for improvement of the current safety syringe design, the overwhelming majority of U.S. nurses surveyed said yes.
Retro-fitted designs are not the way to go
65% of nurses nationally felt safety syringes with retro-fitted designs were not the best way to design a safety syringe for better needlestick protection. How would nurses improve the safety syringe design?
Nearly half of all nurses stuck by contaminated needle
The majority of U.S. nurses evaluating personal needlestick protection (64%) report being accidentally stuck by a needle while working. Nearly half (47%) of all nurses report being stuck by a contaminated needle. Of the nurses reporting needlestick injuries, some were stuck multiple times by both contaminated and clean needles.
How healthy is U.S. healthcare?
More U.S. nurses are bullish than not on the state of U.S. healthcare, but the numbers show room for improvement in needlestick protection and beyond.
Desire to help others
While nearly a quarter (24%) of nurses nationwide have considered leaving their profession, overall, 54% of the nurses surveyed are satisfied in their career and 34% said they are very satisfied. This study reveals there are many reasons nurses enter the profession but helping others is clearly the strongest motivation.
Nurses influence on needle selection
The majority of nurses (57%) said their facility conducts yearly evaluations of safety syringes to determine the most effective safety syringe design at their facility. When asked if they are able to influence selection of sharp safety devices used at their facility, the majority of nurses nationwide said no…
Widespread belief that needlestick injuries are underreported
Of the 86% of nurses surveyed nationwide who believe needlestick injuries are underreported, several reasons were cited: The majority of nurses (57%) said their facility conducts yearly evaluations of safety syringes to determine the most effective safety syringe design at their facility. When asked if they are able to influence selection of sharp safety devices used at their facility, the majority of nurses nationwide said no.
About the survey
Conducted in May, the 2006 Study of Needlestick Injuries and Safety Devices is based on an online, nationwide survey of U.S. nurses and directors of infection control. Of the 188 nurse participants who were evaluating personal safety and needlestick protection, 14% percent of those surveyed have been a nurse less than five years; 23% have been nurses for five to ten years; 12% have been nurses for 11 to 15 years; and 51% have been nurses for more than 15 years. 91% of the nurses surveyed have credentials as an RN, 14% of those surveyed have a masters degree, seven percent have credentials as an LPN, two percent NP and 33% said “other.” 89% of respondents were female and 15% were male. The survey’s margin of error is plus or minus 5%. The research was conducted by Atlanta-based Arketi Group and sponsored by Inviro Medical.