This image shows what a sharp needle looks like after it is used just once then after being used six times. The BEST practice is to only use the sharp sterile steel needle ONE TIME (as intended by it's manufacturers)...and that is when it is entering a PATIENT. That will ensure that the patient is being injected with the sharpest, most painless, sterile needle possible. It…

Nurses reported concerns associated with using the cartridges as vials. These nurses expressed concern about potential SAFETY ISSUES with this practice, including:

• Risk of contamination after entry into a medication cartridge not intended for puncture as a vial

• Risk of contamination when using single-use cartridges as multidose…

January 20, 2004



Mr. Marty Salanger

Manager of Safety, Policy and Government Relations

BD Advanced Protection Technologies

1 Becton Drive

Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417



Dear Mr. Salanger:



Thank you for your October 29, 2003 letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) Directorate of Enforcement Programs (DEP). This letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation only of the requirements discussed and…

ISMP recently conducted a survey of our nursing audience on Carpuject prefilled syringe cartridges for injectable medications. The survey revealed two troubling safety issues that may place patients at risk:

• Many nurses were unaware of an important product safety issue with Carpuject cartridges that could lead to OVERDOSES with high-alert…

SHARPS INJURY PREVENTION LIST and INFORMATION

In all workplaces where employees are exposed to contaminated needles or other contaminated sharps, the employer shall comply with 29CFR 1910.1030, Tennessee Code Annotated 50-3-203(e)(1)-(e)(4) and Tennessee Rule 0800-1-10 as follows:

• Evaluate available engineered sharps injury prevention devices for all sharps

• Solicit input from employees directly…

Sodium Chloride Injection USP 0.9% With Pre-filled Syringes



***Warnings***



Air Embolism



REMOVE ALL AIR FROM THE PRE-FILLED SYRINGE AND ASSOCIATED TUBING PRIOR TO INJECTION TO AVOID AIR EMBOLUS WITH THE ASSOCIATED RISK OF STROKE, ORGAN ISCHEMIA AND/OR INFARCTION, AND…

View Company -----> http://www.iwatalabel.co.jp/eg/itemf/label01.htm

Sen. Franken Introduces Bill to Get Medical Devices to Market More Quickly and Safely

Today, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) introduced the Patient Access to Medical Innovation Act to get innovative medical devices to market more quickly and safely. Sens. Lamar Alexander…

More than 3,000 pharmacies, health care facilities and practitioners have registered with the Department of Health (DOH) to sell or furnish syringes to those age 18 and over without a prescription under the ESAP.



This program makes syringes available without a prescription and promotes the safe disposal of used syringes. Research has shown this program effectively…

Does the standard apply to public sector (State and local government) employees?



Federal OSHA standards do not apply to public sector employees, but the 24 states and two territories that operate OSHA-approved state plans are required to enforce an "at least as effective" standard in the public…

What is the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act?



The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act (the Act) (Pub. L. 106-430) was signed into law on November 6, 2000. Because occupational…

What if the safer device that I choose is on back order?



Safety equipment must be available at all times. If for some reason an engineering control is not available (due to supply shortages, back orders, shipping delays, etc.), this must be documented in your Exposure Control Plan. You would then be responsible to implement the chosen control(s) as soon as it becomes available and adjust your exposure control plan to illustrate such. In the meantime, work practice…

No more tragedies: an introduction to ISO 80369

by Laura Dowling

A hospital patient should never be injured, or worse, because a hospital employee accidentally connects a small tube carrying medicine or nutrients to the wrong tube outside the patient's body.



That's what happened to Robin Rogers in 2006.



According to the New York Times, a hospital nurse caring for Rogers during her final…

Movie Puncture Exposes Hep B&C, HIV Dangers in Needlestick Injuries for Nurses, Healthcare Workers





The movie Puncture reveals the untold true story of the enormous risks faced every day by nurses and healthcare workers exposed to dangerous and deadly bloodborne pathogens (Hepatitis B, C and HIV) through…

Healthcare GPO

Examples - PDM Healthcare Premier, MedAssets, Veira Medical Group, Amerinet, HealthTrust, GroupSource, MediGroup, Provista, Novation, Innovatix, HPS, HPSI, GNYHA Services, and Care Purchasing Services.

A healthcare group purchasing organization (GPOs)…

•     1,300,000 deaths annually

•     23,000,000 hepatitis infections annually

•     260,000 HIV/AIDS infections annually…