Sharp object injury reports by device category

Epinet

Other Surgical Sharp Item

Total Cases: 1023

JOB CATEGORY
M.D. (attending/staff)	79	8%
M.D. (intern/resident/fellow)	79	8%
Medical student	3	0%
Nurse RN/LPN	295	29%
Nursing student	5	0%
Respiratory therapist	7	1%
Surgery attendant	108	11%
Other attendant	73	7%
Phlebotomist/venipuncture/I.V. team	10	1%
Clinical laboratory worker	64	6%
Technologist (non-lab)	81	8%
Dentist	28	3%
Dental hygienist	23	2%
Housekeeper/laundry worker	32	3%
Paramedic	0	0%
Other student	17	2%
Other	116	11%
( 3 missing)

PLACE OF OCCURRENCE
Where did the injury occur in the institution?
Patient room	139	14%
Outside patient room	33	3%
Emergency department	39	4%
Intensive/critical care unit	37	4%
Operating room	382	37%
Outpatient clinic/office	91	9%
Blood bank	9	1%
Venipuncture	1	0%
Dialysis facility	2	0%
Procedure room	33	3%
Clinical laboratories	55	5%
Autopsy/pathology	44	4%
Service/utility area	73	7%
Labor and delivery	4	0%
Home	9	1%
Other	70	7%
( 2 missing)

ORIGINAL USER
Was the injured worker the original user of the sharp item?
Yes	370	36%
No	520	51%
Unknown	21	2%
N/A	111	11%
( 1 missing)

ORIGINAL PURPOSE
For what purpose was the sharp item originally used?
Unknown, N/A	79	8%
Injection, IM/subcutaneous	3	0%
Heparin or saline flush	1	0%
Other injection/aspiration I.V.	3	0%
Connect I.V. line	1	0%
Start I.V. or heparin lock	3	0%
Draw venous blood sample	9	1%
Draw arterial blood sample	3	0%
Obtain body fluid/tissue sample	32	3%
Fingerstick/heel stick	4	0%
Suturing	28	3%
Cutting (surgery)	120	12%
Electrocautery	37	4%
Contain specimen/pharmaceutical	10	1%
Place arterial line	1	0%
Fingernails/teeth	86	8%
Other	601	59%
( 2 missing)

HOW INJURY OCCURRED
Did the injury occur:
Before use	0	0%
During use	272	27%
Between steps	132	13%
Disassembling	76	7%
Preparing for reuse	134	13%
Recapping	3	0%
Withdrawing from resistant material	1	0%
Other after use, before disposal	127	12%
Item left on disposal container	1	0%
Putting item into disposal container	9	1%
After disposal	10	1%
Pierced side of disposal container	2	0%
Pierced side of inappropriate disposal container	22	2%
Restraining	41	4%
Other	192	19%
( 1 missing)

DEVICE
What device or item caused the injury?
Disposable syringe	0	0%
Prefilled cartridge syringe	0	0%
Blood gas syringe	0	0%
Syringe, other type or not sure which	0	0%
Needle on I.V. line	0	0%
Winged steel needle I.V. set	0	0%
I.V. catheter (stylet)	0	0%
Vacuum tube blood collection needle	0	0%
Spinal or epidural needle	0	0%
Unattached hypodermic needle	0	0%
Arterial catheter introducer needle	0	0%
Central line catheter introducer needle	0	0%
Drum catheter needle	0	0%
Other vascular catheter needle	0	0%
Other non-vascular catheter needle	0	0%
Needle, not sure what kind	0	0%
Other needle	0	0%
.
Lancet	0	0%
Suture needle	0	0%
Scalpel blade	0	0%
Razor	70	7%
Pipette (plastic)	6	1%
Scissors	82	8%
Bovie electrocautery device	35	3%
Bone cutter	20	2%
Bone chip	6	1%
Towel clip	24	2%
Microtome blade	44	4%
Trocar	34	3%
Vacuum tube, plastic	8	1%
Specimen/test tube, plastic	11	1%
Fingernails/teeth	96	9%
Scalpel, disposable	30	3%
Retractor, skin/bone hooks	51	5%
Staples/steel sutures	11	1%
Wire	17	2%
Pin	17	2%
Drill bit/bur	26	3%
Pickups/forcepts/hemostats/clamps	30	3%
Sharp item, not sure what kind	0	0%
Other item	405	40%
.
Medication ampule	0	0%
Medication vial (small)	0	0%
Medication/I.V. bottle (large)	0	0%
Pipette, glass	0	0%
Vacuum tube, glass	0	0%
Specimen/test tube, glass	0	0%
Capillary tube	0	0%
Glass slide	0	0%
Glass item, not sure what kind	0	0%
Other glass item	0	0%
( 0 missing)

SAFETY DESIGN
If the item causing the injury was a needle, was it a safety design with a shielded, recessed, or retractable needle?
Yes	0	0%
No/not applicable	1023	100%
( 0 missing)

OSHA
Is this incident OSHA reportable?
Yes	145	14%
No	583	57%
( 295 missing)

For those cases that are OSHA reportable:
Cumulative number of days away from work:	1
Cumulative number of days of restricted work activity:	4

University of Virginia Health System