@inproceedings{4eb9e3b1988444a38dc1fcc851341be2,
title = "The occupational hazard of needlestick injuries in the medical environment. Evidence from the bank of Cyprus oncology centre in Cyprus from 2006-2017",
abstract = "Sharp injuries in healthcare settings is one of the most common occupational hazards health care workers (HCW) face daily. Every year, thousands of HCW are exposed to biological hazards from sharp injuries and thus the World Health Organisation refers to these injuries as {"}burden{"}. This type of injury is divided into (i) the ones caused by a scalpel, (focused on surgeons and nurses in operating theatres), and (ii) the ones caused by needles, (focused on nursing staff of any hospital). Nurses emerge as the staff group reporting the highest proportion of such injuries. The aim of this study was to review the existing literature systematically regarding needlestick injuries. The key factors that would provide a safer working environment as well as a decrease in the injuries happening in medical environments were also highlighted. In addition, we investigated frequency of a potential occupational exposure to hazardous biological agents from the 12 years recorded data of the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre (BoCOC), that came to underline the findings of the literature review. All in all, continuous training of the medical staff along with the implementation of policies and best practices' protocols are the most important action plans to ensure a decline to the occupational hazard of sharp injuries.",
keywords = "Health Management, Hospital injuries, Medical occupational hazards, Needlestick injuries, Nursing staff, Safety and Health, Sharp injuries",
author = "Chris Bachtsetzis and George Athanasiou",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 European Safety and Reliability Association. Published by Research Publishing, Singapore.; 29th European Safety and Reliability Conference, ESREL 2019 ; Conference date: 22-09-2019 Through 26-09-2019",
year = "2020",
doi = "10.3850/978-981-11-2724-3\_0060-cd",
language = "English",
series = "Proceedings of the 29th European Safety and Reliability Conference, ESREL 2019",
publisher = "Research Publishing Services",
pages = "3925--3929",
editor = "Michael Beer and Enrico Zio",
booktitle = "Proceedings of the 29th European Safety and Reliability Conference, ESREL 2019",
}