Devices for preventing percutaneous exposure injuries causedby needles in healthcare personnel

Percutaneous exposure injuries from devices used for blood collection or for injections expose healthcare workers to the risk of blood borne infections such as hepatitis B and C, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Safety features such as shields or retractable needles can possibly contribute to the prevention of these injuries and it is important to evaluate their effectiveness. These studies evaluated safe modificationsof blood collection systems, intravenous (IV) systems, injection systems, multiple devices, sharps containers and legislation on theimplementation of safe devices.