Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To say the least, I found
that to be an impersonal way to address the situation.
Now, I go see them in person. If it's a younger employee, they might
be disappointed in themselves or fearful that their bosses will think
they've done something wrong. Sometimes the informal feedback
from older colleagues isn't good if they minimize the sticks and chalk
it up to an inevitable rite of passage. When we talk, I try to change
their feeling that a stick is just part of the job. I explain that HIV and
hepatitis A and C are alive and well. I make sure the talk isn't a lec-
ture, but a teaching moment in which I explain sharps injuries are pre-
ventable if they keep their focus in that moment, and not think about
the 30 other things on their to-do list.
Also, I don't go in with a "I can't believe you had a needlestick" atti-
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 7 1
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Enforces sharps safety recommendations
from AORN, OSHA, & ACS
