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Abstract (Chapter One) Circumstances Surrounding Contaminated Needlestick And Other Sharp Object Injuries in the Acute Health Care Setting Gwen M. Beiningen 1993 The Problem Introduction The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has identified that health care workers may be exposed to contaminated body fluids in two ways. First, exposure may be through the penetration of the skin by a needlestick or other sharp object. Second, exposure may occur when contamination body fluid is absorbed through mucous membranes of nonintact skin. These injuries are of concern because of the human and economic losses they create. Needlestick and other sharp object injury occurrences among employees in health care institutions are a significant problem. The severity of the problem is illustrated when reviewing statistics related to nursing personnel. There are more than 835,000 nursing personnel employed in the United States; and an estimated 36,000 to 84,000 needlestick and other sharp object injuries occur among nurses annually in the Unites States (Harmony, 1983). The problem of needlestick and other sharp object injuries is further identified when reviewing estimated of costs to acute health care facilities and health care workers (HCW’s).
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