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Paul De Raeve explains the EU regulation on protecting healthcare workers
SHARPS INJURY WATCH In my previous column for Nursing Standard (Vol 28, No 50), I highlighted the data gathered by the European Federation of Nurses (EFN) Report on the Implementation of Directive 2010/32/EU on the prevention of sharps injuries in the healthcare sector. The report suggested that the EU Directive 2010/32/EU on sharps injury safety has had a positive impact on clinical practice but also exposed a need for further work in areas known to reduce the risk of sharps injuries. It described action taken in the UK and reviewed what more can be done to help reduce sharps injuries and protect healthcare workers (see box). The UK incorporated the directive into national law through The Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 a year ago, but must continually commit to its application. NHS employers are responsible for enforcing the regulations and insisting on a zero tolerance policy in relation to sharps injuries. The RCN, a member of the EFN, has produced guidance about what the new legislation means
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and how it should be implemented in practice. Perhaps the most concerning finding was that training in the use of safety-engineered medical devices (SEMDs) is often found to be weak or non-existent. This is despite multiple independent studies showing that when combined with training and safer working practices, the use of SEMDs can prevent more than 80 per cent of sharps injuries. Finally, the report found that long-term care settings have low awareness of sharps injury safety and seem slow to comply with the directive.
Addressing shortfalls in sharps prevention guidance Issue Need for more education and follow-up support following injury Performance of workplace risk assessments Ban on needle recapping
Solution Make use of EU social fund Develop link nurse role using EU social cohesion funds More realistic guidelines developed Raise awareness of practising nurses involved
The requirements of the directive apply in full wherever health care is provided to patients, be it in their own home or in any other non-hospital setting. Survey responses suggest that partial compliance with the legislation is all too common. As well as having a high cost burden for employers, a sharps injury can result in possible infection from 30 potentially dangerous blood-borne pathogens, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Negative psychological consequences can also occur. The distress of having possibly contracted a blood-borne disease can be enough to trigger post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and career-limiting fear. A no-blame culture and zero tolerance policy towards sharps injuries must be applied across all healthcare settings NS Paul De Raeve is secretary general of the European Federation of Nurses RESOURCES EFN Report on the Implementation of Directive 2010/32/EU tinyurl.com/directivereport Sharps Safety: RCN guidance to support implementation of regulations tinyurl.com/ RCNguidancesharpssafety Horizon 2020: EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2014-2020 ec.europa.eu/programmes/ horizon2020
NURSING :: voluses 29without no 3 :: permission. 2014 63 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Aug 10, 2016. For personalseptember use only. No17other Copyright © 2016 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
If you would like to write for our careers section email the editor at [email protected] or @NScareersEd
Paul De Raeve explains the EU regulation on protecting healthcare workers
SHARPS INJURY WATCH In my previous column for Nursing Standard (Vol 28, No 50), I highlighted the data gathered by the European Federation of Nurses (EFN) Report on the Implementation of Directive 2010/32/EU on the prevention of sharps injuries in the healthcare sector. The report suggested that the EU Directive 2010/32/EU on sharps injury safety has had a positive impact on clinical practice but also exposed a need for further work in areas known to reduce the risk of sharps injuries. It described action taken in the UK and reviewed what more can be done to help reduce sharps injuries and protect healthcare workers (see box). The UK incorporated the directive into national law through The Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 a year ago, but must continually commit to its application. NHS employers are responsible for enforcing the regulations and insisting on a zero tolerance policy in relation to sharps injuries. The RCN, a member of the EFN, has produced guidance about what the new legislation means
AL
AM
Y
and how it should be implemented in practice. Perhaps the most concerning finding was that training in the use of safety-engineered medical devices (SEMDs) is often found to be weak or non-existent. This is despite multiple independent studies showing that when combined with training and safer working practices, the use of SEMDs can prevent more than 80 per cent of sharps injuries. Finally, the report found that long-term care settings have low awareness of sharps injury safety and seem slow to comply with the directive.
Addressing shortfalls in sharps prevention guidance Issue Need for more education and follow-up support following injury Performance of workplace risk assessments Ban on needle recapping
Solution Make use of EU social fund Develop link nurse role using EU social cohesion funds More realistic guidelines developed Raise awareness of practising nurses involved
The requirements of the directive apply in full wherever health care is provided to patients, be it in their own home or in any other non-hospital setting. Survey responses suggest that partial compliance with the legislation is all too common. As well as having a high cost burden for employers, a sharps injury can result in possible infection from 30 potentially dangerous blood-borne pathogens, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Negative psychological consequences can also occur. The distress of having possibly contracted a blood-borne disease can be enough to trigger post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and career-limiting fear. A no-blame culture and zero tolerance policy towards sharps injuries must be applied across all healthcare settings NS Paul De Raeve is secretary general of the European Federation of Nurses RESOURCES EFN Report on the Implementation of Directive 2010/32/EU tinyurl.com/directivereport Sharps Safety: RCN guidance to support implementation of regulations tinyurl.com/ RCNguidancesharpssafety Horizon 2020: EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2014-2020 ec.europa.eu/programmes/ horizon2020
NURSING :: voluses 29without no 3 :: permission. 2014 63 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Aug 10, 2016. For personalseptember use only. No17other Copyright © 2016 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
