Needlestick Injuries in the United States

Needlestick injuries continue to be common in the medical field, and needlestick safety is an important subject that must be addressed. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), approximately 8 million healthcare workers are at risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

In March 2000 the CDC estimated that more than 385,000 percutaneous injuries occur among healthcare workers from needles and other sharps used in the healthcare setting.¹ Published studies regarding needlestick safety and prevention have noted that the actual number could be as much as 70 percent higher.²

Data about needlestick safety collected by hospitals that participate in EPINet indicate that the average hospital has approximately 30 needlestick and sharp-object injuries per 100 beds each year. Industry analysts estimate that 80 percent of these cases could be prevented with the use of safer sharps devices such as safety syringes and needleless IV systems.³ Clearly, needlestick prevention could be significantly enhanced.

Needlestick Safety a Critical Issue for Nurses

According to the 2006 Study of Needlestick Injuries and Safety Devices, the majority of U.S. nurses surveyed report being accidentally stuck by a needle while working; nearly half (47%) of all nurses in the survey were stuck by a contaminated needle. Of the nurses reporting needlesticks, some were stuck multiple times.⁴

Percentage of Nurses Reporting Needlestick Injuries

Unsettling as these numbers are to proponents of needlestick safety, the incidence of needlestick injuries may be much worse. Eighty-six percent of nurses in the 2006 study believe needlestick injuries are underreported, further pointing to a need for needlestick safety education. Several reasons for the underreporting were cited:

Profile of a Needlestick

According to EPINet, the number one device causing 35% of the needlestick injuries reported in 2002 is the disposable syringe.⁵ Data indicates:⁶

The type of syringe and how it is used impact needlestick incidents. For example, a pre-filled cartridge syringe that has to be disassembled after use poses a risk. In addition, needlesticks occur through improper disposal or the use of overfilled sharps disposal containers.

Learn more about what can be done to prevent needlestick injuries.

1 The CDC estimate was derived from combined databases from the CDC National Surveillance System for Hospital Healthcare Workers (NaSH) and the EPINet database at University of Virginia's International Healthcare Worker Safety Center and adjusted for underreporting.
2 "Nature of Sharps Injuries," The Premier Safety Institute
3 "Nursing Facts," The American Nurses Association, Inc.
4 2006 Study of Needlestick Injuries and Safety Devices, U.S. Nurses, Inviro Medical
5 International Healthcare Worker Safety Center, University of Virginia, EPINet multihospital needlestick and sharp object injury data report 2002.
6 "Nature of Sharps Injuries," The Premier Safety Institute