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Needlestick Injuries (NSI)
In the United States of America it is estimated that between 600,000 and 1,000,000 needlestick injuries (NSI's) occur annually, although it is thought that underreporting may be as high as 50% in some areas. Of these injuries the overwhelming majority are suffered by Nursing personnel with about 49% occurring during or after the use of hollow bore needles including hypodermics.
Needlestick injuries can transmit infectious diseases, especially blood borne viruses, but bacterial infection may also proceed from these injuries. The rate of viral infection secondary to NSI, including HIV, HBV and HCV, varies from .4% to 40% depending upon the circumstances of the injury and the invading pathogen. In the U.S. it is estimated that up to 80% of needlestick injuries could be prevented with the use of safer needle devices.
The costs of treating needlestick Injuries is substantial, including time off work, medical intervention and prophylactic treatments, and in the case of seroconversion, lengthy treatment regimes. The cost that is inestimable is the emotional trauma of not knowing if the NSI will become a serious or potentially fatal injury.