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S H A R P S
S A F E T Y
removes the syringe cartridge from the holder, the cap dislodges
and the dirty needle pokes the nurse's finger.
T
his situation was complicated by the number of people surrounding the patient. The nurse was likely distracted and perhaps didn't realize the cap wasn't on securely. Additional
focus on ensuring safe removal and disposal of needle cartridges is
very important. If recapping is absolutely necessary, use a single-handed technique to reattach the cap. Also known as the "scoop" technique, you place the cap on a hard surface, or in a custom holder, and
place the needle tip into the cap without using your free hand to guide
the process. That eliminates the possibility of sticks occurring if the
needle slips from the cap or passes through it during recapping. A better practice is using
a safety cartridge
with a shield that
automatically or
manually flips over
the needle tip after
its use.
A few related
notes: Place sharps
containers close to
HIDDEN DANGERS Nearly half of sharps injuries
go unreported because of naivety about risks and
time-consuming notification processes.
where sharps are
J A N U A R Y 2013 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
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