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Overcoming public health risks to staff during the management of waste from healthcare facilities: Case studies from Italy

Mentore Vaccari (Universita degli Studi di Brescia, Brescia, Italy)
Andrea Perteghella (Universita degli Studi di Brescia, Brescia, Italy)
Martina Stolfini (Universita degli Studi di Brescia, Brescia, Italy)
Terry Tudor (University of Northampton, Northampton, UK)

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance

ISSN: 0952-6862

Article publication date: 9 July 2018

352

Abstract

Purpose

The management of public health risks is a key focus for the European Union. One of the key factors that has been shown to pose a public health risk is that of the management of needles from healthcare facilities. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Using audits of two case study hospitals based in northern Italy, this study sought to examine the key factors that resulted in needle stick injuries amongst staff and suggest measures to minimise these risks.

Findings

The number of needle stick injuries was influenced by various key factors including the time period during the year, the length of time employed, the location within the site, staff category and working hours.

Practical implications

Suggestions for overcoming the risk factors, including redesigning working patterns, staff training and awareness building, and the use of safety-engineered devices are outlined.

Originality/value

This study examined the incidence of needle stick injuries amongst healthcare staff in two Italian hospitals, which was lower than in other countries due to various factors, including recapping of needles not being allowed, the introduction of self-retractable needles and awareness campaigns about the correct disposal procedures of potentially infectious waste.

Keywords

Citation

Vaccari, M., Perteghella, A., Stolfini, M. and Tudor, T. (2018), "Overcoming public health risks to staff during the management of waste from healthcare facilities: Case studies from Italy", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 31 No. 6, pp. 619-630. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-09-2016-0128

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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