12th International Conference on Health Promoting Hospitals, Moscow

26th – 28th May 2004

Needlestick
Injuries
in Austrian
Hospitals
Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals and
Palliative Care Units in Austria

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Objectives of Survey
Needlestick High risk to healthcare
Injuries staff, according to
in Austrian epidemiological setting
Hospitals Under-reporting of injuries

Consequences for injured

person

Administrative obligations

Under-estimation of risk of
infection
S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Objectives of Survey
Needlestick Growing rates of NSI
Injuries among healthcare
in Austrian professionals
Hospitals Lack of comparable rates,
incomplete or non-existant
statistics of NSI

Speculations/ Estimations
of unreported events

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Objectives of Survey
Needlestick Evaluation of ...
Injuries
in Austrian
Occurance rates
Hospitals
Risk of exposure

Reasons of injuries

Reported rates

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Objective of Survey
Needlestick
Injuries
in Austrian Risk assessment
Hospitals Comparison with existing
data

Possibilities of prevention

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Methods of Survey
Needlestick Anonymous, standardized
Injuries questionaire for Health
in Austrian Care Workers (HCW)
Hospitals Questions in mutual
cooperation with doctors,
nurses, hygiene
department, occupational
health department, safety
department, unions

Evaluation at one
statistical department
S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Procedure of Survey
Needlestick Personal letter with
Injuries enclosed anonymous
in Austrian questionaire
Hospitals Simple questions in
multiple choice form

Double-sided A4 format
with 19 questions

Automated scanning
process and evaluation of
results
S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Methods of Survey
Needlestick
Injuries
in Austrian
Hospitals

Boxes for
questionaires in
form of sharps
collectors
S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Needlestick
Injuries Outcome of Survey
in Austrian
Hospitals

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

NSI in one hospital

1993 to 2002
250 243
210
200

143 147
150 132

96 103
100 87

54 59
50

0
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Participation in survey
647

To t a l
400
1567 2145
247
578

86
31

13

Surgical 25,5%
A d minis t ra t io n
47
18
39

26 Medical 42,7%
118

Total 30,2%
11
O t he rs
76
15
42

114
409
75
Te c hn. A s s is s t a nt s
311 TOTAL recieved
39
98
TOTAL sent
372

220
1129 SURGICAL
N urs e s
813
152
316 SURGICAL
86 MEDICAL
517
64
MDs
396 MEDICAL
22
121

0 500 1000 1500 2000

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Occurance
6%
6%
5% 29%
1%
4%
0%

23% 8%

10%
8%

During disposal Container associated

Recapping Retracting needle from patient
Preparing infusion Handling accident
Cut Stitching
Unexpected movement Undisposed items
Others

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Occurance
500 495
During disposal
450 Container associated
Recapping
400
Retracting needle from patient
350 Preparing infusion
Handling accident
300
Cut 267
250 Stitching
Unexpected movement
200 Undisposed items
Others
150
Total 117 120
100 75
53 72 50 58 52
50 36 38 32
2215 23 18 18 272228
8 8 9 1714 16
3 7 2 3 4 5
0
Nurse MD Total (25%)

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Injury

6%

41%

53%

mild moderate severe

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Reported

Total 29,7% 50,5% 19,8%

Medical
Nurses 30,9% 47,1% 22,1%

MDs 36,4% 36,4% 27,3%

yes no some

0,0% 25,0% 50,0% 75,0% 100,0%

Total 24,2% 59,7% 16,1%

Surgical Nurses 22,5% 61,8% 15,7%

MDs 20,5% 56,4% 23,1%

0,0% 25,0% 50,0% 75,0% 100,0%

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Summary
Needlestick
Injuries Reporting ~25-30%
in Austrian
Hospitals Recapping ~10%

HepB vacc. >90%

Fear of infection >50%

High occurance at
disposal ~30%

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
 Multi-Center Survey at Hospitals
and Palliative Care Units in Austria

Conclusions of Survey
Needlestick
Injuries Rise awareness
in Austrian
Risk reduction
Hospitals
Prevention strategies

Safety products

Working Place Safety Act?!

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl
Thank you
for your
attention!

S.Stoyantschova, H.K.Hartl