Effect of the introduction of an engineered sharps injury prevention device on the percutaneous injury rate in healthcare workers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of introducing an engineered device for preventing injuries from sharp instruments (engineered sharps injury prevention device [ESIPD]) on the percutaneous injury rate in healthcare workers (HCWs). METHODS: We undertook a controlled, interventional, before-after study during a period of 3 years (from January 1998 through December 2000) at a major medical center. The study population was HCWs with potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens. HCWs who sustain a needlestick injury are required by hospital policy to report the exposure. A confidential log of these injuries is maintained that includes information on the date and time of the incident, the type and brand of sharp device involved, and whether an ESIPD was used. INTERVENTION: Introduction of an intravenous (IV) catheter stylet with a safety-engineered feature (a retractable protection shield), which was placed in clinics and hospital wards in lieu of other IV catheter devices that did not have safety features. No protective devices were present on suture needles during any of the periods. The incidence of percutaneous needlestick injury by IV catheter and suture needles was evaluated for 18 months before and 18 months after the intervention. RESULTS: After the intervention, the incidence of percutaneous injuries resulting from IV catheters decreased significantly (P<.01), whereas the incidence of injuries resulting from suture needle injuries increased significantly (P<.008). CONCLUSION: ESIPDs lead to a reduction in percutaneous injuries in HCWs, helping to decrease HCWs' risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens.     

徐州地区医务人员锐器伤现状调查分析

目的调查徐州地区各级医院医务人员锐器伤发生及上报情况,为制定本地区锐器伤防护措施、完善上报制度提供依据。方法 2016年7—8月,采用多阶段分层随机抽样方法随机抽取徐州市13所不同级别医院的医务人员,对其一般资料、锐器伤发生及上报情况等进行问卷调查。结果共收集2 694份有效问卷,医务人员锐器伤发生率为10.32%,例次发生率为12.84%,上报率为30.64%。医务人员锐器伤例次发生率一级医院为44.83%,二级医院为11.53%,三级医院为12.52%,不同级别医院锐器伤例次发生率比较,差异具有统计学意义(χ~2=55.148,P0.001)。锐器伤发生时机主要为医务人员在回套针帽时(79例次,22.83%),器具种类主要为中空针类(297例次,85.84%)。参加培训情况不同的医务人员锐器伤发生率比较,差异具有统计学意义(χ~2=66.760,P0.001)。结论本地区医务人员的锐器伤现状不容乐观,存在培训效果欠佳,上报率较低且安全器具使用率不高等问题,应进一步采取有效措施,建立有效的锐器伤监测追踪系统以减少锐器伤的发生。     

甘肃省11 358名医务人员锐器伤现状调查

目的对甘肃省不同层次医院的医务人员锐器伤（SI）现状进行调查,为提高临床医务人员的防护意识,规范操作行为以及制定职业防护措施提供指导。方法2012年1-12月,采用多阶段分层整群随机抽样的方法,对甘肃省6市州共38所医疗机构的医务人员进行现场问卷调查和访谈。结果共回收问卷11 358份,SI发生率为9.87%（1 121例）,例次率为12.60%（1 431例次）,发生密度为1.05次/(人·月)。不同性别、岗位、工作年限组医务人员SI发生率差异均有统计学意义（均P<0.05）;不同岗位人群,容易发生SI的地点不同;造成医务人员SI的主要医疗器具是注射器针头、静脉输液头皮针及手术缝针。已知暴露源的SI有1 099例次(76.80%);发生污染SI 980例次(68.48%),其中474例次（48.37%）为血源性疾病暴露,血源性疾病暴露率为33.12%。在调查的血源性暴露中,乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)占74.25%,梅毒螺旋体（TP）占13.10%,丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）占12.01%,人免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）占0.64%。 结论甘肃省医务人员锐器伤发生率处于较高水平,探索适合区域性医疗机构医务人员职业安全监控和管理体系,是一个亟待解决的社会问题。     

医务人员职业暴露现状调查及对策

目的了解医务人员职业暴露现状和特点,为制定预防对策提供依据。方法自行设计职业暴露问卷调查表,调查2015年1—12月全院医务人员职业暴露情况,并进行统计分析。结果调查1 888名工作人员,发生职业暴露共304例,全院平均职业暴露发生率为16.10%;发生职业暴露370例次,职业暴露例次率为19.60%。医生、进修实习人员和工作年限≤1年的工作人员职业暴露相对较高,分别为23.18%(102/440)、17.88%(49/274)、18.34%(95/518)。锐器伤为主要的职业暴露方式,占83.24%(308例),发生环节以器械使用后处理前、器械使用中为主,分别占37.99%(117例)和36.69%(113例)。370例次职业暴露中,可追溯到暴露源的有315例次。已知暴露源中,血源性病原体职业暴露占24.13%(76例次)。370例次职业暴露中,仅59例次实施了完整的局部处理和上报程序,职业暴露上报率为15.95%。结论该院应采取综合措施最大程度地促进职业安全防护,降低职业暴露发生率。     

医院职业暴露事件危险因素分析

目的分析某院2010年上报医院的职业暴露数据及相关危险因素。方法医院自行设计调查表,工作人员发生职业暴露后填写,科室审核后上报到医院感染管理科。结果 2010年该院有227名工作人员发生职业暴露,共230例次。其中193人发生锐器伤196例次,34人发生血液/体液暴露34例次;分布于48个科室,前5位分别为:手术室34例次,骨科、肝血管外科各18例次,肾内科11例次,麻醉科10例次。职业分布中,护士和医生占总数的85.46%;本院职工占63.48%,实习进修生占36.52%。工龄以5年以下者居多,占73.57%。缝合/剪断和各种注射为刺伤的主要环节,操作中和操作后处理废物为刺伤主要时机;70.59%的血液/体液暴露者未佩戴防护用品,26.53%被刺伤者未戴手套。结论职业暴露分析利于确定重点科室、目标人群和高危因素,便于进行相应干预。     

Prevalence and prevention of needlestick injuries among health care workers in a German university hospital

Objective Health care workers (HCWs) are exposed to bloodborne pathogens, especially hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through job-related risk factors like needlestick, stab, scratch, cut, or other bloody injuries. Needlestick injuries can be prevented by safer devices. Methods The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and causes of needlestick injuries in a German university hospital. Data were obtained by an anonymous, self-reporting questionnaire. We calculated the share of reported needlestick injuries, which could have been prevented by using safety devices. Results 31.4% (n = 226) of participant HCWs had sustained at least one needlestick injury in the last 12 months. A wide variation in the number of reported needlestick injuries was evident across disciplines, ranging from 46.9% (n = 91/194) among medical staff in surgery and 18.7% (n = 53/283) among HCWs in pediatrics. Of all occupational groups, physicians have the highest risk to experience needlestick injuries (55.1%—n = 129/234). Evaluating the kind of activity under which the needlestick injury occurred, on average 34% (n = 191/561) of all needlestick injuries could have been avoided by the use of safety devices. Taking all medical disciplines and procedures into consideration, safety devices are available for 35.1% (n = 197/561) of needlestick injuries sustained. However, there was a significant difference across various medical disciplines in the share of needlestick injuries which might have been avoidable: Pediatrics (83.7%), gynecology (83.7%), anesthesia (59.3%), dermatology (33.3%), and surgery (11.9%). In our study, only 13.2% (n = 74/561) of needlestick injuries could have been prevented by organizational measures. Conclusion There is a high rate of needlestick injuries in the daily routine of a hospital. The rate of such injuries depends on the medical discipline. Implementation of safety devices will lead to an improvement in medical staff’s health and safety.     

广东省39所医院医务人员锐器伤调查

目的了解广东省医务人员血源性职业暴露的发生情况,为制定预防措施提供科学的依据。方法采用问卷调查方法,对广东省39所医院医务人员2011年6月锐器伤的发生情况进行横断面调查。结果发放调查表32 617份,回收32 297份,回收率为99.02%;实际有效问卷32 007份,有效率为99.10%。发生锐器伤1 460例,1 909例次,锐器伤发生率为4.56%,例次率为5.96%,平均月发生密度为0.06次/（人月）。发生污染锐器伤1 495例次,污染锐器伤例次发生率为4.67%（1 495/32 007）;污染锐器伤占锐器伤总例次的78.31%（1 495/1 909）,其中61.67%(922/1 495)能追踪到暴露源,38.33%（573/1 495）不能确定其是否具有传染性。血源性污染器械中,81.71%（67/82）为乙型肝炎暴露源,14.63%（12/82）为梅毒暴露源,3.66%（3/82）为丙型肝炎暴露源,无艾滋病暴露源。锐器伤发生的地点主要为普通病房（47.72%）与手术室(20.27%);频率最高的操作是加药(15.92%),其次为医疗废物处置(12.78%)和拔除动（静）脉针（12.21%）;主要医疗器具为一次性注射器 (35.99%)、头皮钢针 (19.43%)和手术缝针(13.41%)。医务人员职业暴露相关知识培训率为93.25%。结论锐器伤是导致血源性传播疾病感染的主要职业因素, 医疗机构应建立健全职业病防治组织机构和规章制度,规范医务人员的血源性职业暴露预防与控制行为,降低血源性职业暴露伤害风险。     

Do health care workers need to wear masks when caring for patients with pulmonary tuberculosis?

Outbreaks of hospital acquired tuberculosis (TB) in the 1990s, some of which affected staff, highlight the fact that TB still poses a risk to health care workers (HCWs). This risk is best minimised by the primary controls of early identification and treatment, good infection control practice such as early isolation, patients covering mouths when coughing, and engineering controls such as negative pressure isolation. There is no direct evidence to prove that the use of respiratory protective devices has prevented HCWs from acquiring TB, but modelling has shown that environmental controls are not enough to prevent exposure. Masks that filter aerosols (including TB) and have at least 95% efficiency of filtering particles 0.3 micron in diameter can reduce exposure. Environmental controls in the United Kingdom (UK) do not (always) include a specified minimum number of air-changes per hour or negative pressure. Therefore it seems reasonable to advise that HCWs should use masks as advocated by national guidelines for high risk procedures. Masks are also of value when entering any body cavity or dissecting any viscus/organ in which TB is suspected, as in the necropsy room or operating theatre. This is recommended in current guidelines from the United States but not those from the UK.     

Interventions to increase influenza vaccination of health-care workers--California and Minnesota

Vaccination of health-care workers (HCWs) has been shown to reduce influenza infection and absenteeism among HCWs, prevent mortality in their patients, and result in financial savings to sponsoring health institutions. However, influenza vaccination coverage among HCWs in the United States remains low; in 2003, coverage among HCWs was 40.1%. This report describes strategies implemented in three clinical settings that increased the proportion of HCWs who received influenza vaccination. The results demonstrate the value of making influenza vaccination convenient and available at no cost to HCWs.     

211例医务人员锐器伤监测结果分析

目的分析医务人员锐器伤发生情况,为持续改进锐器伤安全管理工作提出建议。方法回顾性分析某院2006年8月—2015年7月上报的《锐器伤登记表》,分析统计相关资料。结果共上报211例锐器伤,主要人群为护士(118例,55.92%)和医生(83例,39.34%);工龄主要为5年及以下者(117例,55.45%);发生地点主要为外科病房(67例,31.75%)、内科病房(65例,30.81%)及门急诊(33例,15.64%);致伤物主要为注射器针头(91例,43.13%)、缝合针(34例,16.11%)和头皮针/输液器针头(27例,12.80%);主要致伤操作为各种注射(40例,18.95%)、静脉输液(38例,18.00%)、手术缝合/剪断(36例,17.06%)。主要致伤环节为操作中(治疗、检查、手术),共109例(51.66%)。血源性病原体污染的器械中,HBV污染95例(76.61%),HCV污染25例(20.16%),HIV污染4例(3.23%)。无血源性病原体感染病例发生。211例医务人员接种乙肝疫苗者155例(73.46%)。结论应重点针对工作时间≤5年的护士和医生,外科病房、内科病房及门急诊的医务人员,注射、静脉输液、缝合/剪断等操作时做好锐器伤防护工作。医院相关部门完善上报流程,加强追踪。     

Safety-engineered device implementation: does it introduce bias in percutaneous injury reporting?

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether implementation of safety-engineered devices in 2001 had an effect on rates of percutaneous injury (PI) reported by HCWs. DESIGN: Before-and-after intervention trial comparing 3-year preintervention (1998--2001) and 2-year postintervention (2001--2002) periods. PI data from anonymous, self-administered surveys were prospectively entered into CDC NaSH software. SETTING: A 427-bed, tertiary-care hospital in Manhattan. PARTICIPANTS: HCWs who attended state-mandated training sessions and completed the survey (1,132 preintervention; 821 postintervention). INTERVENTION: Implementation of a "safer-needle system" composed of various safety-engineered devices for needle-safe IV delivery-insertion, blood collection, and intramuscular-subcutaneous injection. RESULTS: Preintervention, the overall annual rate of PIs self-reported on the survey was 36.5 per 100 respondents, compared with 13.9 per 100 respondents postintervention (P < .01). The annual rate of formally reported PIs decreased from 8.3 to 3.1 per 100 respondents (P < .01). Report rates varied by occupational group (P < or = .02). The overall rate did not change between study periods (22.7% to 22.3%), although reporting improved among nurses (23.6% to 44.4%, P = .03) and worsened among building services staff (90.5% to 50%, P = .03). HCWs with greater numbers of PIs self-reported on the survey were less likely to formally report injuries (P < .01). The two most common reasons for nonreport (ie, thought injury was low risk or believed patient was low risk for blood-borne disease) did not vary from preintervention to postintervention. CONCLUSIONS: Safety-engineered device implementation decreased rates of PIs formally reported and self-reported on the survey. However, this intervention, with concomitant intensive education, had varying effects on reporting behavior by occupation and a minimal effect on overall reporting rates.     

Tuberculosis in healthcare workers: a molecular epidemiologic study in San Francisco.

OBJECTIVE: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk of becoming infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis through occupational exposure. To identify HCWs who became infected and developed tuberculosis as a result of their work, we studied the molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis in HCWs. DESIGN: Eleven-year prospective cohort molecular epidemiology study. SETTING: City and County of San Francisco, California. PATIENTS: All persons reported with tuberculosis between 1993 and 2003. HCWs were identified from the San Francisco Tuberculosis Control Section's database, and mycobacterial isolates from culture-positive subjects were analyzed by IS6110-based genotyping. RESULTS: Of 2510 cases of tuberculosis reported during the study period, 31 (1.2%) occurred in HCWs: the median age of the HCWs was 37 years, and 11 (35%) were male. HCWs were more likely than non-HCWs to be younger (P=.0036), born in the United States (P=.0004), and female (P=.0003) and to not be homeless (P=.010). The rate of tuberculosis among HCWs remained constant during the study period, despite a significant decrease in the overall case rate in San Francisco. Work-related transmission was documented in at least 10 (32%) of 31 HCWs, including 4 of 8 HCWs whose isolates were part of genotypically determined clusters. Only 1 of 7 cases of tuberculosis in HCWs after 1999 was documented as being work-related. CONCLUSIONS: Although most cases of tuberculosis in HCWs, as in non-HCWs, developed as a result of endogenous reactivation of latent infection, at least half of clustered cases of tuberculosis in HCWs were related to work. The number of work-related cases of tuberculosis in HCWs decreased during the study period.     

医务人员血源性职业暴露调查及其对策

目的了解医务人员职业暴露现状,分析发生原因及危险因素,为采取有效防护措施提供依据。方法采用回顾性调查方法,对某院2013年1月1日—2016年12月31日发生的职业暴露事件进行调查分析。结果该院共发生职业暴露632例次。职业暴露发生以护士为主,共392例次,占62.02%;主要发生于工作年限不满2年的医务人员,共387例次,占61.23%。医务人员发生职业暴露的时机居前三位的分别是在输液完毕拔针、集中处置使用过的锐器物及针头以及手术缝合时,分别占15.19%、14.71%和12.18%。导致锐器伤发生的器械中,头皮钢针所占比例最大,共137例次,占23.42%;其次是缝合针,96例次,占16.41%。职业暴露血源性病原体以乙型肝炎病毒为主,占58.86%,其次是未知暴露源导致的职业暴露,占18.04%;职业暴露地点主要发生在普通病房(38.61%)。结论应加强职业安全防护教育,提高医务人员预防职业危害的能力,规范具有潜在危险的操作行为,加强医疗废物分类与管理,从而降低医务人员职业暴露所带来的危害。     

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage levels among healthcare workers in the United States, 2002-2003.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a well recognized risk for healthcare workers (HCWs), and routine vaccination of HCWs has been recommended since 1982. By 1995, the level of vaccination coverage among HCWs was only 67%. OBJECTIVE: To obtain an accurate estimate of hepatitis B vaccination coverage levels among HCWs and to describe the hospital characteristics and hepatitis B vaccination policies associated with various coverage levels. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. METHODS: A representative sample of 425 of 6,116 American Hospital Association member hospitals was selected to participate, using probability-proportional-to-size methods during 2002-2003. The data collected included information regarding each hospital's hepatitis B vaccination policies. Vaccination coverage levels were estimated from a systematic sample of 25 HCWs from each hospital whose medical records were reviewed for demographic and vaccination data. The main outcome measure was hepatitis B vaccination coverage levels. RESULTS: Among at-risk HCWs, 75% had received 3 or more doses of the hepatitis B vaccine, corresponding to an estimated 2.5 million vaccinated hospital-based HCWs. The coverage level was 81% among staff physicians and nurses. Compared with nurses, coverage was significantly lower among phlebotomists (71.1%) and nurses' aides and/or other patient care staff (70.9%; P<.05). Hepatitis B vaccination coverage was highest among white HCWs (79.5%) and lowest among black HCWs (67.6%; P<.05). Compared with HCWs who worked in hospitals that required vaccination only of HCWs with identified risk for exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material, hepatitis B vaccination coverage was significantly lower among HCWs who worked in hospitals that required vaccination of HCWs without identified risk for exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material (76.6% vs 62.4%; P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the United States, an estimated 75% of HCWs have been vaccinated against hepatitis B. Important differences in coverage levels exist among various demographic groups. Hospitals need to identify methods to improve hepatitis B vaccination coverage levels and should consider developing targeted vaccination programs directed at unvaccinated, at-risk HCWs who have frequent or potential exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material.     

如何预防医务人员COVID-19感染：来自中国武汉的经验

 在新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）大流行的背景下,全球已有数以千计的医务人员感染新型冠状病毒（SARS-CoV-2）,并有人因此失去生命。在疫情早期,中国发生了医务人员感染。由于对SARS-CoV-2的特点认识有限,湖北有3,000多名医务人员在疫情暴发初期感染了SARS-CoV-2。由于当地医院医务人员工作超负荷,超过4.2万名医务人员（包括军队医务人员）,从全国各地被派往湖北。在疫情最严重的时期,中国有十分之一的重症监护医生在武汉工作。在中国抗击COVID-19的过程中,虽然在疫情早期发生了一定数量的医务人员感染SARS-CoV-2,但通过及时采取预防措施,包括快速诊断,及时对患者进行隔离,强调医务人员的安全,加强医务人员基本防护知识培训和统一管理等有效防护措施,国家援鄂医疗队42,632名队员最终未报告感染,并且当地医院医务人员感染病例显著减少,说明医务人员院内感染COVID-19是完全可以预防的。本文旨在阐述中国武汉疫情期间,如何通过采取有效措施预防医务人员感染SARS-CoV-2。     

医务人员血源性职业暴露与防护措施的KAP现况研究

目的了解某院医务人员职业暴露与防护知识、态度和行为现状,并调查影响戴手套及穿隔离衣的原因。方法对2012年10月16日该院在岗的部分临床医务人员进行问卷调查。结果共调查医务人员374名,全院平均每人参加培训（1.47±1.54）次,内科医务人员参加培训次数为（2.00±2.12）次,高于其他科室 (均P＜0.001)。硕士以上学历和医生的知识水平得分分别为（88.43±11.09）分、（88.14±11.48）分,均较高。在态度、行为方面,不同组别医务人员间差异均无统计学意义(均P＞0.05)。影响医务人员戴手套和穿隔离衣的主要原因分别是影响操作和配备不足。结论该院医务人员职业暴露与防控知识水平、态度和行为均不理想;医院应采取措施,提高医务人员职业暴露防护水平。     

Role of healthcare workers in outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a 10-year evaluation from a Dutch university hospital.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The benefit of screening healthcare workers (HCWs) at risk for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage and furloughing MRSA-positive HCWs to prevent spread to patients is controversial. We evaluated our MRSA program for HCWs between 1992 and 2002. SETTING: A university medical center in The Netherlands, where methicillin resistance has been kept below 0.5% of all nosocomial S. aureus infections using active surveillance cultures and isolation of colonized patients. DESIGN: HCWs caring for MRSA-positive patients or patients in foreign hospitals were screened for MRSA. MRSA-positive HCWs had additional cultures, temporary exclusion from patient-related work, assessment of risk factors for persisting carriage, decolonization therapy with mupirocin intranasally and chlorhexidine baths for skin and hair, and follow-up cultures. RESULTS: Fifty-nine HCWs were colonized with MRSA. Seven of 840 screened employees contracted MRSA in foreign hospitals; 36 acquired MRSA after contact with MRSA-positive patients despite isolation precautions (attack rate per outbreak varied from less than 1% to 15%). Our hospital experienced 17 MRSA outbreaks, including 13 episodes in which HCWs were involved. HCWs were index cases of at least 4 outbreaks. In 8 outbreaks, HCWs acquired MRSA after caring for MRSA-positive patients despite isolation precautions. CONCLUSION: Postexposure screening of HCWs allowed early detection of MRSA carriage and prevention of subsequent transmission to patients. Where the MRSA prevalence is higher, the role of HCWs may be greater. In such settings, an adapted version of our program could help prevent dissemination.     

Home care workers’ judgments about users’ acute conditions: A qualitative study on interprofessional collaboration

ABSTRACT

Home care workers’ (HCWs) approaches to home care users’ acute symptoms are critical for users’ safety and quality of life. However, the processes of these approaches are unclear. This study investigates how HCWs assess users’ conditions. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with HCWs were conducted in a rural Japanese city. HCWs’ decisions were affected by interactions and previous relationships with care managers, home care nurses, physicians, and users’ families. Rural HCWs act flexibly, changing the professionals and families they consult with. Understanding HCWs’ behaviors and improving relationships among medical/care professionals and families can improve management of users’ acute conditions.     

Niedrige Influenzaimpfquoten bei Mitarbeitern im Gesundheitswesen

Despite decades of effort to encourage healthcare workers (HCWs) to be immunized against influenza, vaccination levels remain insufficient in Germany, with only one in five HCWs receiving the annual influenza vaccination. To prevent nosocomial influenza outbreaks and to ensure the protection of patients and HCWs, new approaches to increase vaccination rates are needed. The experience in the USA has shown that declination forms have increased vaccination coverage. One possible approach for Germany would be a combination of declination forms with the exclusive use of vaccinated staff in defined areas. This approach would respect a HCWs decision to refuse medical treatment, while at the same time protecting vulnerable patients. In addition, the influenza vaccination rates of HCWs should be collected in order to evaluate the implementation of vaccination policies. Similar to the setting of desired vaccination coverage for the chronically ill, a clearly defined vaccination goal should be established for HCWs.     

Blood and body fluid exposure risks among health care workers: results from the Duke Health and Safety Surveillance System

BACKGROUND: Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk of exposures to human blood and body fluids (BBF). Needlestick injuries and splashes place HCWs at risk for numerous blood-borne infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV). Utilizing a new comprehensive occupational health surveillance system, the objective of this research was to better define the BBF exposure risk and risk factors among employees of a large tertiary medical center. METHODS: A population of 24,425 HCWs employed in jobs with potential BBF exposures was followed for BBF exposure events from 1998 to 2002. BBF exposure rates were calculated for strata defined by age, race, gender, occupation, work location, and duration of employment. Poisson regression was used for detailed analyses of risk factors for BBF exposure. RESULTS: The study population reported 2,730 BBF exposures during the study period, resulting in an overall annual rate of 5.5 events/100 FTEs and a rate of 3.9 for percutaneous exposures. Higher rates were observed for males, persons employed less than 4 years, Hispanic employees, and persons less than 45 years of age. Much higher rates were observed for house staff, nurse anesthetists, inpatient nurses, phlebotomists, and surgical/operating room technicians. Poisson regression results strengthened and extended results from stratified analyses. Rates of percutaneous exposures from hollow needles were found to decrease over the study period; however, exposure rates from suture needles appear to be increasing. CONCLUSION: While continued training efforts need to be directed toward new HCWs, our data also suggest that employees who have been in their job 1-4 years continue to be at higher risk of BBF exposures. This research also points to the need for better safety devices/products and work practices to reduce suture-related injuries.