Time Trends of Percutaneous Injuries in Hospital Nurses: Evidence of the Interference between Effects of Adoption of Safety Devices and Organizational Factors

Marco M. Ferrario, Giovanni Veronesi, Rossana Borchini, Marco Cavicchiolo, Oriana Dashi, Daniela Dalla Gasperina, Giovanna Martinelli and Francesco Gianfagna
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Marco M. Ferrario: Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
Giovanni Veronesi: Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
Rossana Borchini: Occupational and Preventive Medicine Unit, ASST Lariana, 22100 Como, Italy
Marco Cavicchiolo: School of Specialization in Occupational Medicine, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
Oriana Dashi: School of Specialization in Occupational Medicine, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
Daniela Dalla Gasperina: Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
Giovanna Martinelli: Quality Health Assessment Unit, ASST Sette Laghi, 21100 Varese, Italy
Francesco Gianfagna: Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-10

Abstract: Few studies have focused on the combined effects of devices and work organization on needlestick injuries trends. The aim of the study was to estimate trends of percutaneous injury rates (IR) in nurses (N) and nurse assistants (NA) over a 10 year period, in which passive safety devices were progressively adopted. Percutaneous and mucocutaneous injuries registered in a University Hospital in Northern Italy in Ns and NAs in 2007–2016 were analyzed. Organizational data were also available on shift schedules, turnover, downsizing and age- and skill-mix. We estimated IRs per 100 full-time equivalent workers from Poisson models and their average annual percent changes (APC) from joinpoint regression model. In the entire period, monotonic decreases in percutaneous IRs occurred among day-shift Ns (APC = ?20.9%; 95% CI: ?29.8%, ?12%) and NAs (APC = ?15.4%; ?32.9%, 2.2%). Joinpoint modeling revealed a turning point in 2012 for night-shift Ns, with a steady decline in 2007–2012 (APC = ?19.4%; ?27.9%, ?10.9%), and an increase thereafter (APC = +13.5%; 1.5%, 25.5%). In comparison to 2008 and 2012, in 2016 night-shift Ns were 5.9 and 2.5 times more likely to be younger and less qualified or experienced than day-shift Ns. The observed declines in percutaneous injury rates occurred in a time period when safety devices were progressively implemented. The causal nature of multiple exposures and organizational procedures in affecting injury time trends should be further addressed by quasi-experimental studies.

Keywords: needlestick injuries; nurses; protective devices; shift work schedule; personnel administration; hospital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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