Epidemiology of accidental needle-puncture wounds in hospital workers

All employees, including physicians, of a 450 bed hospital were monitored for puncture wounds from contaminated needles over a four-year period. Five hundred seventy-nine incidents were reported. Nurses were involved in 66% of instances, housekeeping 16%, laboratory workers 10%, physicians 4% and x-ray technicians 4%. Many puncture wounds were avoidable, suggesting the need for ongoing employee education. In 67% of the injuries blood from the patient in whom the needle had been used was tested for HBsAg; 1% of those tested were positive. In such instances, employees were given immune globulin. These data indicate that needle puncture wounds are a frequent problem for hospital workers, and carry a risk for transmitting hepatitis B. Efforts to prevent such injuries are needed.