IV Catheter Insertion Needle Stick Incidences Research Paper

IV Catheter Insertion Needle Stick Incidences - Research Paper Example The needle stick injuries are relatively lower. The healthcare workers face a great risk, due to occupational exposure to blood and body fluids. The exposure may lead to transmission of disease causing pathogens, which result to infection and other hazardous consequences for the health workers. The safety catheter requires activation by user, and it is simple to activate and this ensures that injuries are minimized. Therefore, it clear that needle stick injuries are preventable through the use of safe needles, and the application of worker education and practice controls that are driven towards the reduction of injuries. On average, a health care practitioner is exposed to the dangers of deadly blood borne pathogens, through the contamination of needle sticks, or splash exposures (American Nurses Association, 2002). This is a great risk that faces every frontline health worker. Although this problem is regarded as part of the job of the health care workers, the Needle stick Safety and Prevention Act of 2001 is a legislation that was signed by the federal government, for the purpose of safeguarding the welfare of healthcare workers. The paper seeks to examine the issue of IV Catheter Insertion Needles, and particularly, whether the introduction of IV catheter insertion needles reduces the risk of needle sticks (Jegger & Bentley, 1998). The retractable needle IV catheter is designed in a manner that reduces the needle-stick injuries, and this is in line with the federal regulations, on the risk of heath care workers. Needle stick injuries are accidental skin penetrations and stab wounds, which are caused by hollow-bore needles, which include hypodermic needles, blood-collection needles, IV catheter stylets and other needles (Lawson, n.d.). Nurses and health care workers are exposed to needle sticks, at least every month while either inserting or removing the peripheral IV catheters. This form of risk is reported to be