Sharps injury reduction using Sharpsmart--a reusable sharps management system

J Hosp Infect. 2003 Jul;54(3):232-8. doi: 10.1016/s0195-6701(03)00141-5.

Abstract

Sharps containers are associated with 11-13% of total sharps injuries (SI) yet have received little attention as a means of SI reduction. A newly developed reusable sharps containment system (Sharpsmart) was trialed in eight hospitals in three countries. The system was associated with an 86.8% reduction of container-related SI (CRSI) (P=0.012), a 25.7% reduction in non-CRSI (P=0.003), and a 32.6% reduction in total SI (P=0.002) compared with historical data. The study concludes that the Sharpsmart system is an effective engineered control in reducing SI.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Occupational / prevention & control*
  • Environmental Exposure / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods
  • Medical Waste Disposal / instrumentation*
  • Needles / adverse effects*
  • Needlestick Injuries / etiology
  • Needlestick Injuries / prevention & control*
  • Personnel, Hospital*

Substances

  • Medical Waste Disposal