Sharps Injury Reduction, a 6 year study

The 6-year study (2004 to 2010) utilised a 3-phase, before-after intervention model. In phase 1 healthcare workers at Sydney Adventist Hospital carried disposable 0.37 gallon sharps containers (Tray Collectors, BD Australia) to and from patient rooms in a tray along with injection items. Used sharps too large for the small sharps containers were transported in the tray to each ward’s medication station for disposal into a single-use 6 gallon Sharps container (Nestable Collectors, BD Australia).

In phase 2, use of small sharps containers ceased and an 8.5 gallon Daniels reusable Sharpsmart sharps container with large aperture, counterbalanced door and passive overfill protection was placed in all med rooms (one per department), and staff received mandatory in-service training in the use and handling of the Device. In this phase of the study, the sharps container was not sited in patient rooms for reasons of aesthetics and safety. Sharps were transported to and from patients’ rooms using kidney dishes or trays.

In phase 3 of the study, a 5.8 gallon Sharpsmart sharps container was wall-mounted in patient rooms at an ergonomic height and as close as practical to patients’ beds. Employee descriptions of their sharps injuries were obtained retrospectively from the hospital’s sharps injury log during Phase 1 (20 months), Phase 2 (30 months) and prospectively in Phase 3 (20 months). Data in each change-over month was excluded to avoid the possibility of placing sharps injuries in an incorrect study phase.