A recent study examined the self-reported and observed compliance of healthcare workers with two sharps injury prevention practices: the double-gloving technique and the hands-free technique.
According to the CDC, roughly 385,000 sharps-related injuries — or a penetrating stab wound from a needle, scalpel or other sharp object — occur annually among healthcare workers in hospitals.
More than 80 healthcare professionals working in 22 operating rooms in South Korea participated in the study, which was published in the American Journal of Infection Control. Study participants were observed between March and May 2014, as well as asked to fill out a self-report questionnaire.
The study revealed self-reported compliance rates of 30.9 percent for double-gloving and 7.7 percent for the hands-free technique, and a 30.9 percent and 0 percent direct observation rate for each technique, respectively.
Physicians showed higher agreement than nurses between the two methods for double-gloving compliance but similar to nurses for hands-free technique compliance.
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