Needle stick injuries are a common hazard for those who work with sharps, whether in the health service or in another context, such as the beauty industry. However, these types of injuries – and the risks they pose - have traditionally not received much attention, something which has been put down to the reluctance of those affected to admit to having been hurt in this way.
It is now widely acknowledged that there is something of a culture of silence surrounding the needle stick injury, mostly thanks to the perception that some fault lies with the person who has been injured for having sustained the injury.
However, data compiled by the National Audit Office shows that actually needle stick injuries are very common for those working with sharps and in fact there may be any number of reasons for the injury being sustained that have little to do with the skill of the person using the sharp.
The official term for the needle stick injury is the ‘percutaneous injury’ and it occurs where the skin is pierced by a used sharp. The risk from this type of injury is that when the sharp pierces the skin of the person using it, it contains blood or another bodily fluid that is infected. Where this happens, it can lead to transmission of whatever is on the sharp to the person who has been injured by it. If this does not sound particularly alarming, there are actually twenty diseases that can be transmitted in this way and many – such as Hepatitis B and HIV – are extremely serious.
A National Audit Office report – published in 2003 – stated, that of 300 respondents 57% had received one or more needle stick injuries during their careers. However, out of this 57% only 51% went on to the report the incident. These low reporting figures demonstrate the reluctance that exists among those using sharps to admit to having received the injury and suggests that actually the numbers of people being injured in this way may be significantly higher than initially thought.
There are many reasons why a needle stick injury may arise, which have nothing to do with skill or ability. Many relate to the conditions in which the sharp is being used or the measures in place to deal with accidents. For example, where there are no proper disposal procedures in place in a context where sharps are regularly used; where there has been little or no provision of information on how to safely use and dispose of sharps; where there have been no steps taken for infection control; or where there is no fast access to prophylaxis treatments and no procedures in place for dealing with such an injury when it occurs.
The concern for many is now that with tough economic conditions affecting many businesses and institutions, corners may be cut that could lead to these kinds of issues becoming even more frequent. If that is the case, and needle stick injuries are on the rise as a result, then it remains up to those working with sharps to have the courage to take some action about the injuries they receive – even if only to speak up – to ensure safety remains a priority wherever sharps are used.