In response to an October outbreak of hepatitis C in Oklahoma, the
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) surveyed providers about needle and syringe reuse, and found some disturbing trends.
Three percent of the anesthesiologists who responded to the survey said they reuse needles and/or syringes on multiple patients, according to the AANA. One percent each of other physicians, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and other nurses also said they reused needles.
While the percentages may seem low, the numbers translate into almost
1,000 providers from all of the disciplines combined, says Rodney Lester,
CRNA, PhD, president of AANA. "That is 1,000 too many," he says.
The guidelines and standards of several professional organizations forbid the reuse of needles or syringe on multiple patients. AANA, the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), all warn against the dangers of the practice, which can expose patients to life-threatening infectious diseases.
The survey found other areas of disagreement among healthcare professionals, especially when it comes to reusing needles and syringes on the same patient. Thirty-one percent of respondents said they reuse needles and syringes on the same patient, but that practice is not permissible by AANA standards, according to Lester. "Plain old common sense dictates that the safest practice is single use, then disposal," he says.
A hepatitis C outbreak in Oklahoma prompted the survey. A nurse anesthetist admitted to causing the outbreak by reusing syringes when administering medication at two ambulatory surgical centers and a pain management clinic. Fifty-two patients tested positive for the disease.
Source: Ambulatory Safety Monitor and HCPro