WHITE PAPER

Hypodermic Needlestick Injuries – Worsening Trajectories

Background

Needlestick Injuries (NSIs) to healthcare workers represent an ongoing crisis despite legislative and educational efforts. Broader delivery of health care and organized vaccination programs are among the factors underlying a dramatic rise in U.S. and worldwide medical syringe and needle use of the past 25 years.  A 2016 WHO commission report places the number of injections given worldwide above 16 billion per year.¹   A large proportion of healthcare workers admit personally sustaining a contaminated NSI over their career, yet dramatic underreporting limits a full understanding of this potentially life-threatening problem.²   This paper examines recent worrisome trends demonstrating increased injection-related needlestick injuries among healthcare workers.

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