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Analysis of Sharp-Edged Medical-Object Injuries at a Medical Center in Taiwan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Fu-Der Wang*
Affiliation:
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University of Medicine, Taipei Nosocomial Infection-Control Committee, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Yin-Yin Chen
Affiliation:
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University of Medicine, Taipei Nosocomial Infection-Control Committee, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Cheng-Yi Liu
Affiliation:
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University of Medicine, Taipei Nosocomial Infection-Control Committee, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
*
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Rd, Taipei, Taiwan, China

Abstract

A total of 733 incidents by sharp-edged objects occurred among healthcare workers between 1995 and 1998. Injuries occurred most frequently among interns. The workplace location with the highest incidence of injury was the patient ward, and the object that most frequently inflicted injury was a needle. The most frequent work practice was recapping of syringes. One healthcare worker demonstrated seroconversion for hepatitis C.

Type
Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2000

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