Exposure Injury Reduction Strategies: Results that Protect Lives
Authors: Linda Good, Terry Grimmond, Jane Burnson, Kerry Cassens, Lucy Castellanos, Natalie Guynn, Peg Johnson, Dawn Lantz, Pamela Morcom, Jill Peralta‐Cuellar, Sheri Tadlock.
Publication: "Exposure Injury Reduction Strategies: Results that Protect Lives" J Assoc Occup Hlth Prof 2018;38(4):14-8. Author copy available at https://www.terrygrimmond.com/publications/.
Summary:
What is the article?
This peer reviewed study supports the 2011 EXPO-S.T.O.P (Exposure Survey of Trends in Occupational Practice) study with an interview-based approach to examine how healthcare organizations are reducing potentially life-threatening body fluid exposure to its workers.
Design and Methods
Clinicians who worked at "Exposure Aware" hospitals were interviewed by researches and found to have four common themes of successfully limiting exposures:
- Education and Training
- Communication
- Investigation
- and Engagement
What did we learn?
"Best Practice" safety strategies, such as communicated in this research, must be implemented and made standard behavior - doing so prevents the risk of BBP exposure to clinicians. For successful implementation, these strategies require teamwork, consistency and determination. Hospitals who are "Exposure Aware" should encourage others to overcome their barriers to safety by advocating for successful practices.
“… rate comparisons alone will not bring about the vital goal of eliminating potentially life-threatening body fluid exposures to healthcare workers. To reach this goal, proven "Best Practice" safety strategies must be put into practice and must become the new normal."
Authors