OR Manager - September 2019 - 39

AMBULATORY
SURGERY CENTERS
Continued from page 37
Best practices
Outpatient clinics tend to have more
needlesticks because of the volume of
blood draws. ASCs and other places
where surgery is performed have many
IV starts, so using best practices in
sharps handling is a must.
Best practices for sharps handling in
any area include:
* Always use PPE.
* Do not uncover or unwrap a sharp
object until it is time to use it.
* Keep the object pointed away from
you at all times.
* Never recap or bend a sharp object.
* Keep fingers away from the tip of
the object.
* If the object is reusable, put it in a
secure place.
* Use the neutral zone to hand off
sharps, and announce when you are
handing off.
Best practices for sharps disposal
include:
* Never put your hands in a sharps
container.
* If the container is full or has protruding
items, call to have the container
removed.
* Make sure sharps containers are at
eye level.
Take advantage of available
resources
ASCs may have fewer resources than
hospitals, so they should appoint a
staff person to lead efforts to prevent
bloodborne pathogen exposures-
someone who is a champion for education
and compliance.
It is also recommended that bloodborne
pathogen exposure be reported
monthly to the board and facility owners.
If necessary, a gap analysis can be performed
to assist in the development of
policies and procedures.
An excellent guide for assessing an
infection prevention program is available
from the CDC: https://www.cdc.
gov/hai/settings/outpatient/outpatientwww.ormanager.com
care-guidelines.html.
In addition, the
AAAHC has resources that include a
patient safety toolkit for safe injection
practices, Kleinhesselink notes
(https://www.aaahc.org). And OSHA
provides an online toolkit, Worker
Safety in Hospitals (https://www.osha.
gov/dsg/hospitals/).
A multitude of equipment is available
to help reduce exposure to bloodborne
pathogens: blunt suture needles; safety
scalpel devices; safety engineered syringes,
needles, and IV catheters; and
sharps containment systems.
Adopting these can be challenging
because of the training and education
needed for each device. When completing
an annual sharps evaluation, it
can be hard to find an acceptable replacement
for a sharps device because
of provider preference and the need
for precision, especially in the surgical
field, Kleinhesselink notes.
Using the neutral zone technique
and no-touch technique are effective
ways to handle sharps.
Ongoing vigilance
Sabin offers this advice to reduce exposure
risks:
* Stop and ask for help if you are not
familiar with the equipment.
* Hardwire the use of PPE.
* Avoid distractions; pay attention to
your environment.
* Follow policies and procedures in
handling and disposing of sharps.
Following steps like these can go a
long way toward enhancing the safety of
patients and staff alike. ✥
Amy L. Bethel, MPA, RN, NE-BC, is
an independent consultant in Des
Moines, Iowa.
References
Anderson J M. Needlestick injuries:
Prevention and education key. J Controvers
Med Claims. 2008;15(3):12.
https://go.galegroup.com/ps/anony
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ccess=abs&issn=15301060&p=AO
NE&sw=w.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Guide to infection prevention for
outpatient settings: Minimum expectations
for safe care. https://www.
cdc.gov/hai/settings/outpatient/
outpatient-care-guidelines.html.
Cunningham T R, Sinclair R C, Harney
A M G, et al. A safety information
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injuries: Results from stop sticks
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sharps_injuries_Results_from_the_
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Daley
K A, Laramie A K, Mitchell A H.
Sharps injuries remain major occupational
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https://www.aaahc.org/quality/
patient-safety-toolkits/.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000444.htm.
Jagger
J, Berguer R, Phillips E K, et
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surgical settings versus nonsurgical
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McCormick R D, Maki D G. Epidemiology
of needle-stick injuries in
hospital personnel. Am J Med.
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McCormick R D, Meisch M G, Ircink F
G, et al. Epidemiology of hospital
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O'Malley E M, Scott R D, Dekutoski
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OR Manager | September 2019 39

https://www.aaahc.org https://www http://www.cdc.gov/hai/settings/outpatient/ https://www.osha https://www.research http://www.gate.net/profile/Stacy_Smallwood/ https://www.infectioncon http://www.troltoday.com/sharps-safety/sharps https://www.aaahc.org/quality/ https://www.medlineplus.gov/ency/patien https://go.galegroup.com/ps/anony https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ https://www.cdc http://www.ormanager.com

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