Risk of needlestick injury from injecting needles

EU legislation to reduce needlestick injury and consequent infections will come into force in May 2013. The law will oblige healthcare organisations to take measures to prevent needlestick injuries to staff, and strongly recommends the use of safety-engineered medical devices. Some healthcare organisations have already converted to using safety devices, recognising the need to improve staff safety, reduce the cost of treating injured workers, and avoid expensive legal actions. The main focus of the directive seems to be on safety-engineered devices for blood collection and infusion, as healthcare organisations often ignore or see the risk of injections into tissue as minimal. There is still a need for further education on the risks of injection. This article reviews a number of commonly held views regarding the risk of needlestick injury and discusses whether the statements are supported by the evidence.