Needlestick Injuries at Kaiser Permanente Hospital
Nurses are primary victims of needlestick injuries. However, other personnel working in healthcare centers could fall victim to such risks if they handle discarded needlesticks. Damages caused by used needlesticks expose the victims to the risk of contracting viral diseases like HIV or Hepatitis B and C (Davis et al., 1996). The infection, however, depends on how deep the injury is, the amount of infected blood you have come into contact with, and the amount of virus in that blood (Healthwise Staff, 2019). With all the hazards workers in hospitals face daily, their employer organizations must acknowledge these risks and put measures in place to protect them from any harm that could be caused by such hazards. Employee health and safety should be highly regarded and prioritized.
Kaiser Permanente is the biggest integrated health care provider in the United States, serving millions of individuals every year across the country in their many branches. Despite their extensive reach and vastness, they have nevertheless had cases involving injuries caused by specific safety devices. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
In the years 2013 and 2015, a total of three employees of Kaiser Permanente hospital in Vallejo, California, lodged a complaint with Cal/OSHA against the hospital foundation after being injured by needlesticks. An investigation into the matter begun soon after. The injuries happened as they were trying to empty a metal collection box used to store biomedical waste (Gonzalez, 2015). The injured employees received prophylactic medicines to prevent them from catching diseases or undesirable outcomes since they had been exposed to infectious diseases. California regulators fined the hospital $149,900 for non-compliance to industry safety regulations. It was also cited for five safety violations of workplace standards that required the employer safeguards its employees from making contact with bloodborne pathogens present in the blood or other bodily fluids that carry diseases. Since the inspection carried out by Cal/OSHA, Kaiser put in place measures to prevent such injuries from reoccurring. For instance, the kiosk, which often exceeded its capacity, stopping the cover from shutting, was replaced with two bigger deposit units, which would be checked after every thirty minutes. The hospital also went on to provide more training to its staff and replaced their protective equipment (Gonzalez, 2015).
In addition to the measures Kaiser Permanente Hospital put in place, more could be done to lower the rates at which needlestick injuries occur in health centers. Needles should be standardized throughout the hospital so that the training provided is useful. It would not be easy to implement knowledge from instructions if the needles used in the demonstration are not the same as those being used in every unit. Furthermore, it is costly and time-consuming to provide different training for different types of safety equipment. The expertise gained through experience and teaching programs should also be shared with other primary healthcare providers to expand the bank of information on safety programs. Tests on safety equipment available in the market could be performed to identify those products that are most effective in hindering needlestick injuries. Based on the results of these tests, hospitals would be able to make informed decisions on what sharp objects to use. Coaching amongst peers on safe ways to handle needles could also prove to be useful, especially since it is less formal, and they are aware of their concerns (Lazarovici, 2014).
References
Davis, C. K., Sloan, F., & Wunderlich, G. S. (Eds.). (1996). Nursing staff in hospitals and nursing homes: Is it adequate?. National Academies Press.
Gloria Gonzalez (2015). Needle sticks lead to Cal/OSHA fine against Kaiser hospitals. Retrieved on February 10, 2020, from https://www.businessinsurance.com/article/00010101/NEWS08/151209883/Needle-sticks-lead-to-CalOSHA-fine-against-Kaiser-hospitals-
Healthwise Staff (2019). Accidental Needle Sticks. Retrieved on February 10, 2020, from https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/health-encyclopedia/he.accidental-needle-sticks.tw13033
Laureen Lazarovici (2014). TOTAL HEALTH AND WORKPLACE SAFETY: Making the Point About Needle Safety. Retrieved on February 10, 2020, from https://www.lmpartnership.org/stories/making-point-about-needle-safety