Epidemiology of exposure to blood borne pathogens on a surgical service

Background The goal of this study was to analyze the type and mechanism of blood exposure injuries on the surgical service in order to develop appropriate preventative strategies. Methods A retrospective review of all exposure injuries affecting members of the operative care line at a single teaching institution between December 2002 and December 2005 was performed. Results Of 98 exposure injuries on the surgical service, only 17(17%) were inflicted by hollow-bore needles. Seventy-four (76%) of these reported injuries occurred in the operating room (OR) and 24 (24%) occurred in other clinical areas. Sharps injuries accounted for 69 (93%) of OR injuries and were inflicted by suture needles (n = 37, 50%), hollow-bore needles (n = 7, 9%), and sharp instruments (n = 25, 34%). Mucocutaneous contamination accounted for 5 (7%) of the OR exposures. Professionals most frequently injured were residents (n = 43, 44%), followed by nurses (n = 28, 29%), students (n = 17, 17%) and other healthcare workers (n = 10, 10%). Conclusions Blood exposure prevention strategies should be directed at safety within the surgical field and focused beyond hollow-bore needle stick injuries to include education, mentoring, and competency training.