Grant: Operating Grant

Health care professionals are at risk of becoming infected with diseases that are transferred through blood as a consequence of the work they do. For the protection of our healthcare workers, occupational regulations in Canada have been improved to address the risk of infection arising from a key source, the contaminated needles and other sharp devices they handle every day. In this study we will ask hospital physicians and nurses about these devices, in particular the new safety devices such as needles and scalpels with protective shields to prevent injury, which they have begun to use. Our previous work in British Columbia (BC) suggests that old non-safety devices are still in circulation, and the new replacement devices are not being used as they should. When we spoke directly to a small group of local nurses and physicians we learned that many have concerns with how the new devices were chosen, with quality and availability of the safety devices, and with their access to education and training. In this study we hope to build on our previous work, and see if physicians and nurses from around the province share these same concerns. We will provide new information to healthcare organizations that highlight the successes and challenges of adopting the new devices and also make suggestions regarding how they can make improvements. These new safety sharp devices are being used across Canada. What we learn in BC will benefit all Canadian healthcare workers by making sure that the tools they use keep them from harm.