Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104967

Robyn R.M. Gershon, MHS DrPH¹, Jonathan D. Rosen, MS, CIH², Cynthia Gurney, PhD, RN³, and Marissa A. Barrera, MS¹. (1) Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 600 west 168th st, 4th floor, New York, NY 10032, 212 305-1186, rg405@columbia.edu, (2) Occupational Safety & Health Department, New York State Public Employees Federation, AFL-CIO, 1168-70 Troy-Schenectady Rd, Latham, NY 12110, (3) Planning & Research, New York State Nurses Association, 11 Cornell Road, Latham, NY 12110-1499

Purpose: While bloodborne pathogen (BBP) risk assessment and risk management is well established for hospital-based registered nurses (RNs), the risk is poorly defined for non-hospital based RNs. The degree of implementation and effectiveness of risk management strategies for the estimated 1 million non-hospital RNs is largely unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we recently conducted a risk assessment survey.

Methods: A random sample of 2,500 New York State RN's employed in non-hospital settings were mailed a five-page confidential questionnaire which addressed exposure risk factors, correlates of safe work practices, and risk management interventions.

Result: The majority of respondents (N=1156, 44% response) were middle aged with an average of 11years job tenure. Over a third were employed in facilities with less then 100 employees. Parenteral exposures were not uncommon; 65% reported one or more (x=2.3) needlesticks during their career, 23.3% reported at least 1 needlestick in their present job, and 8.7% reported at least one needlestick in the last 12 months. Nearly 50% of all recent needlesticks involved a safety device. Exposure reporting was poor; 40% did not file an incident report, and 70% never received any post-exposure care. Primary reasons for not reporting included: time constraints, fear, and lack of information on reporting.

Conclusion: These data indicate that non-hospital based RNs are at potential risk bloodborne exposure and that primary and secondary risk management strategies may be sub-optimal. Additional research is warranted to identify effective risk reduction practices for this population of RNs.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. List at least three risk factors for exposure in non-hospital based RNs.
• 2. Estimate the exposure incident rate of needlesticks in non-hospital RN.
• 3. List at least two barriers to exposure reporting.

Keywords: Risk Assessment, Nurses

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.