Safety product evaluation: six years of experience

Safety products to prevent percutaneous injuries are rapidly being developed for health care. Decisions to purchase such products are often made by an institution's infection control committee. We evaluated 30 safety products. These products are most readily accepted when potential users perceive a need, believe they are at risk for injury, and have input into the selection process. Task forces of intended users are invaluable in determining which products to evaluate in high-risk areas. Some new devices may be unsafe if excessive manipulation or in-service education is required. New products may not be well accepted if the devices are a different size or configuration than usual or require changes in established practices or techniques. An adequate supply of new products must be available immediately when the evaluation begins or users will tend to select the older, more familiar product. Removing all similar devices except for the new product can facilitate acceptance. Frequency of use can also influence employees when trying a new product. For instance, nurses who only occasionally draw blood have different perceptions of a new blood-drawing device from those of the phlebotomy team. Key employees were designated as resource persons to complement the manufacturer's in-service education and to support transition to the new product. We recommend that decision making by infection control committees involve the individuals who will eventually directly use the new products, starting with the early phases of safety product evaluation.