Safety-engineered needle devices: evaluation prior to introduction is essential.

摘要

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk from transmission of a variety of bloodborne pathogens following exposure to blood via a needlestick injury (NSI). In 2010 the European Union (EU) adopted Directive 2010/32/EC to prevent injuries and infections to HCWs from sharp objects.1 Member states of the EU which include the UK have until 11 May 2013 to implement the Directive into national legislation. One of the key factors in the Directive is the requirement to provide medical devices incorporating safety-engineered protection mechanisms.Safety-engineered needle devices (SENDs) are now widely available and several studies have demonstrated an associated reduced risk of NSI following their introduction. The devices generally fall into two categories; passive SENDs, where no additional steps are needed by the user to activate the safety feature, or active SENDs, which require the user to activate the safety feature.