O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 5 5
Y
ou never forget your first needlestick. Mine? I was rushing to
recap a syringe. The needle slipped while I was pushing the cap
on. It tore through my glove and pierced the tip of my finger. It
wasn't a deep puncture, but I got woozy thinking about all the hor-
rible things that could happen.
I was relieved when the blood tests came back negative, but I also had a new
resolve. That accidental needlestick, which occurred years ago, left an indelible
impression on me about the dangers of working in the OR. Now, as the director
of nursing at a surgical center in suburban Philadelphia, I appreciate how fortu-
nate we are to work in a time when safety devices are so well-designed that sur-
geons don't mind using them. Nearly two-thirds of the 180 surgical facility lead-
How to Conduct a
Safety Sharps Trial
Yes, you can get your docs to (at least)
trial and (possibly) use safety sharps.
Kristin L. Thompson, RN, BSN, CNOR, RNFA | Media, Pa.
Kristin
L.
Thompson,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR,
RNFA
z TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT Kristin L. Thompson,
RN, BSN, CNOR, RNFA, shows ENT surgeon and
board chair Joel Perloff, MD, a safety scalpel.
