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 Welcome to the ISIPS Newsletter
March 19, 2010 
USA News

USA Health News

CDC Launches HIV/AIDS Info Web Site
“We're trying to create a movement,” Kevin Fenton, director of the CDC's national center for HIV/AIDS prevention, said in a press release.

Prosecutors: Houston man knowingly exposed teen to HIV
Sellars didn't tell the teen that he is HIV positive until it was too late, according to prosecutors. "It was, 'I have HIV. You probably do, too.

Miss. ends segregation of HIV-positive prisoners
The American Civil Liberties Union, which pushed to change the 23-year-old policy regarding HIV infected inmates, praised the move.

Every 9½ minutes, someone in the US is infected with HIV
The HIV/AIDS epidemic is devastating the African American community, yet it remains one of the most ignored realities.

Insurer targeted HIV patients to drop coverage
In May, 2002, Jerome Mitchell, a 17-year old college freshman from rural South Carolina, learned he had contracted HIV.

Clients of Ajax spa need to be tested for HIV, officials say
Anyone who received acupuncture care at an Ajax spa should get tested for blood-borne infections as soon as possible, the Durham Region Health Department warns.

Vaccination, Prevention Is Beating Back Hepatitis
Decades of vaccination and prevention efforts may have the hepatitis viruses on the run, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Brandon clinic's patients warned of hepatitis C outbreak
Hillsborough County health officials have sent letters to patients of a Brandon holistic medicine clinic warning them to get tested in the wake of an outbreak of hepatitis C among some who received treatment there last year.

Global News

Woman charged with maliciously spreading HIV
An 18-year-old woman in Kitgum town has been charged with malicious infection of an infant with HIV. Its alleged that Judith Atim on the 3rd of March this...

'Myths' could leave nurses in danger of sharps injuries
An NHS trial of safety-only needles at University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust led to a 70 per cent reduction in needlestick injuries over four...

Jail officers `put at risk'
“Research suggests that 10 per cent of prison officers may suffer accidental needle-stick injury. “Prison officers regularly come across needles that are...

Health Department Under Scrutiny after Scrapping HIV Vaccine Facility Plan
The Canadian Public Health Agency has come under a great deal of questioning after it declared that it has decided against building the pilot HIV...

Avian Flu

Vietnam woman tests positive for avian flu
A woman in Hanoi has become the fourth recorded bird flu patient this year, the health ministry's Preventive Health and Environment Department reported on...

Bulgaria Reacts to Romanian Bird Flu Outbreak
Bulgaria veterinarians have been put on high alert, following an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu in southeast Romania. Photo by BGNES Bulgaria's Minister of...

Bird flu detected in Nawalparasi
The Avian Influenza (H5N1) virus has been detected in Nawalparasi. The government had sent samples for test to UK laboratory some days back following death...

Bird flu outbreak in Romania, EU's first in a year
The first outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu in Europe for a year has been identified in a backyard poultry farm in Romania, the European...

New suspected case of A/H5N1 in Ho Chi Minh City
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health announced a suspected case of bird flu virus on March 16. The patient, a 3-year-old child from Thuan An district,...

Swine Flu

H1N1 Swine Flu Still Smoldering in US
From mid-January to mid-February, the CDC estimates there were 2 million new cases of H1N1 swine flu, causing 18000 hospitalizations,...

Medical News

Surprising findings about Hepatitis C and insulin resistance
We have known for several years that Hepatitis C, a common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer, also makes people three to four times more likely to develop...

How bananas could help prevent the spread of HIV
In laboratory tests, a chemical derived from bananas proved as effective against HIV as two currently used pharmaceuticals, according to new research...

West Nile

West Nile Virus Returns to Southern California
Experts say the West Nile virus is back in the southland due to the wet winter which has created a good breeding environment for mosquitoes that transmit...

Mag-Mat™

A re-useable magnetic mat that provides a secure 'hands free' transfer zone for metallic instruments, thus reducing the risk of third party inflicted sharps injuries.

  • Strong ceramic magnetic surface ensures secure retention of metallic instruments

  • High quality, reinforced mesh design ensures a highly cost effective, long-lasting device

  • Autoclavable

  • Large (40cm x 30cm) surface allows transfer of multiple instruments

  • Waterproof construction minimises the risk of any pathogen cross infection

For more information in the United States:

AMI

Outside the United States:

Purple Surgical and

Cory Bros.

Point of Care Syringe Disposal Solutions

For Professional Health Care Use

A NEW, simple syringe disposal solution
Reduce your "total costs" by 80% or more
Meets safety compliance requirements
Reduce accidental needlesticks

 

For Home Use
A NEW, simple syringe disposal solution
Keep your family and others safe
Meets safety compliance requirements
Easy to use!

Click here for more information

 

 
In This Issue

Action On Preventing Needlestick Injuries
2008 survey by the Royal College of Nursing found that almost half of all nurses (48 per cent) had been stuck by a needle or sharp that had previously been used on a patient.

Why safe needle disposal should be important to you
Besides the discomfort of a needle stick, there is a risk of contracting a life-altering disease. If it is unclear where the needle originated,...

"This IS coming": checklists in the OR
Nobody in the operating room knows everything. “It’s the wisdom of the crowd, the beauty of the symphony that ensures success,” said Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, during his General Session “Safer Surgery: Reducing Complications & Disparities” on Monday morning at AORN’s 57th Congress in Denver.

Figures show Wales' steroid timebomb
STEROID use is so rife in Wales, users are outnumbering junkies in using needle-exchange programmes, drug experts have warned.

Court will hear case about vaccine side effects
The Supreme Court will decide whether drug makers can be sued by parents who claim their children suffered serious health problems from vaccines.

Blood contamination Bill rejected
A bid to compensate and support victims of the "worst ever treatment disaster in the history of the NHS" has been blocked by the Government and now looks doomed.

Dumped needles put lives in danger
Junkies are putting innocent people's lives at risk by throwing away used needles which can be infected with killer diseases.

Jails 'a source' of blood-borne diseases
Australia's jails are a major source of new blood-borne infection, a harm reduction group says in a call for a controlled needle exchange for inmates.

Don't stick others with your needles
As we learn to manage our medical conditions at home, the number of needles used by self--injectors grows.

AORN weighs in on laundering surgical scrubs in-house
There aren’t many workplaces that would debate how employees should wash their clothes, but where healthcare workers launder their scrubs has been a point of contention for the last few years.

Study reveals half of infection deaths linked to care
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that sepsis and pneumonia killed 48,000 patients and added $8.1 billion to healthcare costs in 2006.

Ask the expert: Source patient testing after a needlestick is the law for employers, not an option
Just where does it say that we must test the source patient’s blood after an employee has a needlestick injury? My medical director is questioning the need for this.

A new hand hygiene compliance approach: Wash your hands or lose your job (UPDATED)
It’s not uncommon to hear about hospitals reprimanding healthcare workers for failure to comply with proper hand hygiene procedures. However, it’s pretty rare to see a facility that go so far as to threaten employees with their jobs.

Surgeons warned they must report 'sharps injuries'
The majority of surgeons are not reporting injuries they receive from sharp instruments, according to a paper published this month.

OSHA Violations
...recent citations issued
Memorial Hospital Inc

Towanda, PA

$975

 Failure to use engineering and work practice controls to eliminate or minimize employee exposure. Failure to use personal protective equipment

Failure to have an updated exposure control plan

Following an exposure the employer shall document the route(s) of exposure, and the circumstances under which the exposure incident occurred.

Following an exposure the employer shall document the type and brand of device involved in the incident.
ISIPS Corporate Members

Please click on any ISIPS member below to view their sharps safety products!

Amgen

Covidien

B. Braun Medical, Inc.

Becton Dickinson

Inviro Medical Devices, Inc.

Greiner Bio-One GmbH

Immunization Branch-California Dept. of Health Services

Smiths Medical

Retractable Technologies Inc.

Terumo Medical Corporation

ANFIM - Association of Needle-free Injection Mfrs

Angiodynamics

Medi-Dose, Inc. - EPS, Inc.

International Association of EMTs and Paramedics

ITL Corporation

Bemis Manufacturing Company

Maximus Medical

Qlicksmart Pty Ltd

Milestone Scientific

Baxa Corporation

LifeChoice Donor Services

3M

Canadian Intravenous Nurses Association (CINA)

Sarstedt

Myco Medical

Health Care Logistics, Inc.

Center for Phlebotomy Education, Inc.

Managing Infection Control Magazine

The Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals

Kawasumi Laboratories America

Starr Systems, LLC

Owen Mumford

West Pharmaceutical Services

Luminetx Corporation

Sandel Medical Industries

Infusive Technologies, LLC

Jai Surgicals Ltd.

Onyx Medical

Allen Medical Systems

AngioTech

DC Surgical Solutions

Bard Access Systems

Access Scientific

Sanofi-AVentis

Navilyst

Purple Surgical International, Ltd.

Cory Bros Ltd.

Advanced Medical Innovations

Kinamed

Unilife

Sharpsfree

Peak Surgical

ICU Medical

Safety Lady LLC

Sharps Compliance, Inc.

Ethicon, Inc.

Advantage Medical Devices

tip-top

Global Medi Products

Real Needlestick and
Blood Exposure Stories

“It happened after I finished collecting blood from a patient. I really thought I was going to die.”“I want to talk about this sentence that we should spread. ‘No more needlestick injuries.’”

“This is not an isolated case. I was infected with the blood. That patient died six hours later. I knew she was HIV positive. …it was necessary to wait for the test results… It was a period full of stigmatization, discrimination. ..I am the voice of many people who can no longer speak. I am the voice of many colleagues, many people who are hidden. .. Behind each accident, behind each needlestick injury there is a whole case of a family who suffers the consequences. I am living proof that talks for all those people who day-after-day, today in 2003, they know there is a high safety material and they know they can avoid these tragedies to happen again.”

Featured Safety Product

PlasmaBlade™
The control of a scalpel. The bleeding control of traditional electrosurgery.

The PlasmaBlade is a family of disposable cutting and coagulation devices that offer the exacting control of a scalpel and the bleeding control of traditional electrosurgery without extensive collateral damage.

The PlasmaBlade is based on proprietary pulsed plasma technology. This technology represents an evolutionary leap in the advancement of radiofrequency surgical technologies, which originated with traditional electrosurgery and progressed to plasma-mediated energy devices.

The following PlasmaBlade tissue dissection surgical devices are FDA-cleared and commercially available:

The PlasmaBlade 4.0, which is designed to be used to cut through all types of soft tissue, including skin, fat and muscle;

The PlasmaBlade Needle, which has a fine needlepoint tip and is specifically designed for ultra-precise surgical procedures;

The PlasmaBlade EXT, which is designed for use in surgical procedures requiring an extended-reach tip.

All of the PlasmaBlade tissue dissection surgical devices are used in conjunction with PEAK Surgical’s PULSAR Generator, which supplies pulsed waveforms that produce short plasma-mediated electrical discharges through the PlasmaBlade.

Because the radiofrequency is provided in short on-and-off pulses with low duty cycle, and the blade is insulated, heat diffusion and associated heat damage to surrounding tissues is limited, resulting in less collateral damage and more precise tissue dissection. In contrast, most radiofrequency-based surgical devices use continuous voltage waveforms and un-insulated electrodes to cut tissue.

The PlasmaBlade provides surgeons with a single device that offers:

  • the precision of a traditional scalpel;
    the bleeding control of traditional electrosurgery technology;

  • minimized thermal damage;

  • the ability to quickly and easily cut through all types of soft tissue, including skin, fat and muscle;

  • the ability to operate in a wet or dry surgical field.

Results of a preclinical surgical incision healing study of the PlasmaBlade demonstrated that it efficiently cut tissue with effective hemostasis and minimal thermal damage compared with standard surgical techniques. Based on these and other results from preclinical studies, PEAK Surgical believes that the PlasmaBlade may offer an effective alternative to the traditional scalpel or electrosurgical devices, potentially providing surgeons with better outcomes for their patients, including increased procedure efficiency, reduced surgical incision scarring, faster and stronger wound healing, and faster recovery.

Click here to see a video on PEAK Surgical's Plasmablade™.

For more information on PEAK Surgical's PlasmaBlade, click here
ISIPS Articles

Managing Infection Control articles written by Ron Stoker

2009

December 2009- Advances in Insulin Syringes  - New Passive Insulin Syringe protects from Needlestick Injury

December 2009- Making a Difference in Sharps Safety - 2009 International Sharps Injury Prevention Awards

November 2009- Facing the Challenges of  CR-BSI's - Evaluate, Plan  an Implement Decisions to reduce the rate of catheter-related bloodstream infections.

October 2009- Preventing Injuries from Glass Ampoule Shards-Advances in glass ampoule breakers

August 2009-What's New in Clinical Safety Education-New computer-based training can energize and captivate your staff

August 2009- Advances in Electrosurgery-Safety and economic benefits for patients, surgeons and hospitals

May 2009 - Advances in Needleless Connectors-Technologies assist in Prevention of Bloodstream Infections

April 2009 - Safety Enhancements for Blood Culture Processing-Protecting Staff From Harm

April 2009 - Neuropathy Testing - One of the Challenges of Diabetes

April 2009 - Where to Find Safety Products - Part Four

March 2009 - Accelerated Seldinger Technique - A faster, safer method for diagnostic and interventional procedures

March 2009 - Sharps Safety Matters - Where to find Safety Products - Part Three

February 2009 - Advances in Internal Bone Fixation - Sharps Safety for Orthopedic Surgeons

February 2009 - Sharps Safety Matters! - Where to find Safety Products Part 2

January 2009-  Advances in Blood Drawing Using Evacuated Tubes - Improving Patient and Clinician Safety

January 2009 - Sharps Safety Matters! - Where to find Safety Products Part I

2008

December 2008 - 2008 International Sharps Injury Prevention Awards

December 2008 - Zero Sharps Injuries - A Goal we can live with! Reducing Exposures in the Operating Room

November 2008 - Sharps Injuries - just part of the job, right?

October 2008 - Turning Point - New Safety Scalpel Handle System provides safety features and familiar feel

October 2008 - Eye Can See Clearly Now - the Positive use of face shields as PPE

September 2008 - Safety Scalpels - State of the Market Report

August 2008 Revolutionary Designs - New passive, self-sheathing safety syringe

August, 2008 - New Technology Replaces Multiple Syringes-Prevent contamination of IV lines and associated infections.

June 2008 - One Less Problem - Safe Practices When Administering IV Therapy

May 2008 - Scalpel Safety - Protecting patients and clinicians

May 2008 - Innovation in Vascular Access - Accidental needlestick injuries decreased via the utilization of the VeinViewer

April 2008 - Working in Harms Way - Understanding Sharps Safety Compliance

April 2008 - PPE Practices - Use of Personal Protective Equipment in Satellite Locations

March 2008  - Sharps Safety Matters - Where to find safety products? Part 2 of our annual sharps safety product review.

March 2008 - Simply Safe- Providing safety for the needle that saves lives

February 2008 - Sharps Safety Matters - Where to find safety products? Part 1 of our annual sharps safety product review.

2007

December 2007 - Spreading the Word for Safer Sharps- 2007 International Sharps Injury Prevention Awards

November 2007 GET THE POINT? Laparoscopic surgery-protecting healthcare workers from sharps injuries due to trocars

November 2007 - A Fortune to Share -Changing attitudes toward sharps safety.

October 2007-New sheriff in town-common and costly doctors' office blood-borne pathogen standard violations.

September 2007 Advances in Safety in Cardiology
Reducing the potential of bloodborne pathogen exposure for healthcare workers.

September 2007 Safety Doesn’t Just Happen
Staff safety—is there a culture of safety at your facility?

August 2007 - Innovative Syringe Management System -For home users—and some healthcare workers— there’s an exciting development in sharps safety

June 2007 - OSHA’s Most Cited Hospital Violations - Strategies for Creating a Safe Workplace

June 2007 - Safety in the Hospital Pharmacy-Prevent Staff Injury and Exposure to Toxic Materials with Safety Devices

May 2007 - OR Safety - Improvements in Sharps Safety in the Operating Room

May 2007- Safety Product Review - Use Safety Products to Improve Staff and Patient Safety.

April 2007- Needlestick Safety-Not just a U.S. problem.

Feb 2007 A Change Of Heart - Set Goals To Improve Your Teams Safety

Jan 2007 Stuck at Work - Use Safety Blood Draw Products To Avoid Needlestick Injuries

2006

December 2006 - Cutting the Cord  -  cutting, clamping, and obtaining blood samples from the umbilical cord

November 2006  - Don’t You Have Enough to Worry About Already? Single-Use vs. Reusable Sharps Disposal Containers

September 2006 -Evaluating Safety Products - Decision Making in the Selection of Safety Products

August 2006 -Safety Peripheral IV Catheters - State of the market report

June 2006 BESIDE THE POINT: Safety Huber Needles 2006 - State of the Market Report

May 2006 - Zero Needlesticks— A Goal We Can Live With! Current OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Citations

April 2006 - A Change of Heart - Set Goals to Change Your Team's Sharps Safety

February 2006 - How Can You Tell If Your OSHA inspection is going poorly?  Part II

January 2006 - How You Can Tell If Your OSHA Inspection Is Going Poorly? Preparing for an OSHA Inspection - Part I

January 2006 Sharps Injury Prevention Resource Guide 

Additional Articles

Anatomy of Needlestick Injury; Ron Stoker, Business Briefing: Global Healthcare- Advanced Medical Technologies 2004- Infection Control and Epidemiology

Needlestick Injury Prevention, Ron Stoker, Business Briefing: Global Healthcare 2003

Specially designed syringes maximize flue vaccine supply - Syringes reduce costs and and increase healthcare worker safety and patient comfort

Evaluation of The BD IntegraTM 3ml Syringe with Retracting BD PrecisionGlide™ Needle at Texas Children’s Hospital and Test-Med

Safety Wound Closure Presentation
Sharps Safety - Gaps and successes of safety device market conversion  By Amber Hogan
Technology and the engineering of safety devices has increased since the promulgation of the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (BPS) (29 CFR 1910.1030) in 1991. As a result, OSHA revised its enforcement procedures in 1999 (CPL 02-02-069) to include guidance for its compliance safety and health officers to begin citing health care employers for failure to use safety devices where their use is feasible and effective.

Not Just painful, Deadly! Patients aren't the only ones scared of Needles  
Future Healthcare, Summer 2006 p 121-3

Links
Compendium of Infection Control Technologies

Digital Edition

The Compendium of Infection Control Technologies - Digital Edition is now available.
The digital edition comes on a CD that is readable from any computer and contains a PDF version of the Compendium with over 200 devices highlighted with a Device Evaluation Form designed for each.

 It also includes:

  • Over 50 articles written on sharps safety products that have been published in Managing Infection Control magazine.

  • All significant OSHA Interpretation Letters since the passage of the revised OSHA

  • Bloodborne Pathogen Standard.

  • OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard

  • Enforcement Procedures for the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard

  • Most frequently asked questions about the Standard

  • NIOSH Needlestick Alert

  • CDC Workbook on Designing a Sharps Injury Prevention Program

  • Model Exposure Control Plan

  • Hepatitis Vaccination Declination Form

  • Most Comprehensive List of Safety Products

  • And More...

The Compendium of Infection Control Technologies is only $89.95.  It will save you literally hundreds of hours in searching for safety products.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE COMPENDIUM!
 

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