any health care workers have a high risk of contracting blood-borne infectious diseases like hepatitis C, HPV, and HIV/AIDS. The smallest slip and prick needle accident can put their health in danger. “Health care workers should not have to put themselves at serious risk of catching an infection when they treat patients,” insists Frank Florio, President of BD Canada. “A survey of nurses identified that more than 48 percent of those surveyed had sustained a needle prick or other sharp injury at some point in their career.”

While many provinces in Canada have moved to more advanced safety legislation, others are lagging, putting health care providers at greater risk of injury.

Though few of us would argue against health care workers deserving fair and safe working conditions, the issue of safety when drawing blood has increased in the last few years. Though blood draws used to be done by specially trained technicians (known as phlebotomists), in an effort to reduce health care spending, nurses are taking on more of the responsibilities related to blood work. This is an important issue,  because nurses may not have the training needed to properly protect themselves while taking blood. This lack of specialized training could have significant repercussions not only for health care workers but for patient care and the entire health care system itself. “The quality of the sample could be damaged, and we know 70 percent of medical decisions are based on lab test results, yet studies show as much as 68 percent of errors are observed during this pre-analytical testing. This means it’s essential to get it right — not just to ensure the best patient care but to reduce long-term healthcare costs as well,” says Florio.

One part of the equation is to ensure provinces have stringent safety guidelines covering blood collection.

While many provinces in Canada have moved to more advanced safety legislation, others are lagging, putting health care providers at greater risk of injury.

Another way to increase worker safety is via the use of safety devices. “Some companies have developed safety lock blood collection devices that cover the needle tip before and after use, so the tip is in a safe place at all times,” explains Florio. “Studies show safety devices can reduce 60 to 80 percent of injuries and also reduce the health care costs associated with these injuries, which is estimated to be between $45 and $73 million. It just doesn’t seem logical not to be using safety devices when they could save lives.”
Sandra MacGregor