RTI is a company developed with the primary purpose
of reducing and eliminating NSI’s in the workplace. It is
important to create a forum, a collective voice to bring
awareness and change to these hazardous and largely
preventable injuries.
Real Stories
Needlestick injuries (NSI) are all-too-common among nurses, especially when they use poorly designed devices. A person who experiences contaminated NSI may be exposed to bloodborne pathogens such as Hepatitis or HIV. Healthcare workers who experience an NSI should report the injury and receive medical attention to initiate tests for bloodborne diseases, if necessary. Reporting and recording needlestick injuries are imperative to reduce the recurrence of injuries.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that “about half or more of sharps injuries go unreported,” which creates obstacles to prevention. Unreported NSIs are problematic because issues are not addressed, and hazards are not resolved. Despite needlestick legislation, effective since April 18, 2001, and the use of so-called safety devices, needlestick injuries continue to occur. Yet, silence about needlestick injuries in the nursing community is commonplace.
An injured clinician may feel safe confiding in a coworker, a family member, or a friend but may be reluctant to speak with their supervisor. The causes of underreporting are numerous; whether it is fear of reprisal, embarrassment, presumption of low risk, or simply wanting to avoid a lecture about their incident, some nurses choose not to report. However, change requires action. Accurate data that represents the reality of needlesticks increases awareness of this ongoing problem and drives progress, such as the availability of truly effective safety devices.
Many needlestick victims feel compelled to share their stories, hoping to shed light on what can be a solitary, stressful, and fearful journey. Retractable Technologies, Inc. is a company that was developed with the primary purpose of reducing and eliminating NSIs through the use of innovative engineering technology. An anonymous forum and collective voice can bring awareness and hopefully change to these dangerous and largely preventable injuries. In the coming issue, we will introduce StikTalk, which will serve as that forum.
Share Your Experience
Describe (in no more than 300 words) how the injury happened, what device you were using, and what the outcome was. Alternatively, you can submit a video that RTI can use for our social media accounts. Submissions that are chosen for publication will be published with your full name, credentials, city, and state (Ex.: John Smith, RN, Dallas, TX) or anonymously with your initials instead of your full name (Ex.: J.S., RN, Dallas, TX.) All submissions received will become property of RTI.