Half of the nurses's [needlestick] events occurred beside the patient's bed: drawing up medication was the most common reason.
Safety Product List

 

Reduce sharps injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposures

This list has been compiled to help clinicians reduce sharps injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposures.  It contains scores of safety product categories with a description of the category and a list of safety products that fit under that category. Are you aware of other safety products that should be included in this list? Please send an e-mail to info@isips.org.

 

Air Bubble Removal Devices

Clinicians must expel air bubbles from blood samples safely without exposure to blood or bloodborne pathogens. Allows air out the filter end but does not allow blood. This device eliminates accidentally expelled blood droplets caused by aerosolizing air bubbles from a blood-filled syringe.

 

Allergy Syringes

Allergen immunotherapy (allergy injection treatment) consists of repeated injections of one or more mixtures of extracts of allergens over a period of several years. A variety of allergy syringes are available with retractable needles, or shielded needles.

 

Amniocentesis Trays

Amniocentesis is a procedure where fluid is aspirated out of the amniotic sac. Fetal urine, fetal cells, and various proteins move freely within this sac. During amniocentesis, a long needle is placed through the abdominal wall and into the amniotic sac. Once the needle is in the amniotic sac, a syringe is used to aspirate the amniotic fluid. The fluid is then sent for evaluation. New technologies provide safety sharps that can protect the user from needlesticks.

 

Ampoule Breaker

Ampoules are small glass vessels in which liquids for injections are hermetically sealed. When the cap is snapped off, glass chips can fly off and a jagged or sharp edge can cut the hands of clinicians and others. The scoring at the neck does not always break where it is intended. This is due to the glass re-melding to some degree at the score line. In one study more than 62 percent of nurses said that they have been cut by a broken glass ampoule. Safety ampoule breakers prevent this problem by covering the glass ampoule during the breaking process, thus protecting the clinician’s hands.

 

Anesthesia Trays

anesthesia trays containing safety-engineered components that minimize sharps injury potential.

 

Apheresis Needles

Apheresis is a special blood donation procedure in which plasma or selected cellular elements, such as platelets or white cells, are separated from the other parts of the blood and retained. Blood is drawn and processed through a cell separator, and the other cells and plasma are returned to the body. Apheresis takes approximately two hours compared with a whole blood donation of about eight to 10 minutes. During apheresis, the patient or donor is connected to the apheresis machine. A needle is inserted into a vein in each arm. Blood is withdrawn from one arm, run through the machine to extract the stem cells, and all the remaining components of the blood are returned to the donor through the needle in the other arm. In the case of a patient donating their own stem cells, this process is performed using a central venous catheter, which has two lumens.

  • Nipro SafeTouch II Fistula Needles; Rockwell Medical Technologies Inc., www.rockwellmed.com

  • SysLoc Safety A.V. Fistula Needle Set, WingEaster A.V. Fistula Needle Guard; JMS North America Corporation, www.jmsna.net

 

Arterial Blood Gas Syringes

Arterial blood must be used for ABG measurement rather than venous blood because only arterial blood accurately reflects the amount of pO2 transferred from the lungs. Specialized safety products are used for this.

 

Arterial Catheter Stabilization Products

Arterial catheter stabilization products are designed to hold arterial lines in place throughout therapy. Rather than using sutures, with the inherent suture wounds and the potential for accidental needlesticks—just stabilization.

 

Arterial Line Draw

Arterial and venous infusion lines are used to introduce fluids into the
blood stream of a patient. Typically the injection site is also used to take periodic blood samples from the patient.

  • Deltran® Plus closed needleless arterial blood collection system; Utah Medical Products, www.utahmed.com/deltranplus.htm

  • Venous Arterial blood Management Protection (VAMP) Plus, Vamp Adult, Vamp Jr.; Edwards Life Sciences, www.edwards.com

  • Portex® Line Draw Plus and Umbilical Line Draw; Smiths Medical, www.smiths-medical.com.

 

Automated Filling of IV Syringe Doses

The standard method of filling syringes manually creates many opportunities of accidental needlesticks and other occupational exposure to medications. Automated systems are available that make the filling of syringes safer.

  • Exacta-Mix™ 2400 Compounder (EM2400), Rapid-Fill™ Automated Syringe Filler (ASF); Baxa, www.baxa.com

 

Bifurcated Needles

Bifurcated needles administer vaccines by the scarification method. There is currently only one safety bifurcated needle available for smallpox vaccinations if they become necessary again.

 

Biohazard Spill Kit

A BioHazard Spill Clean-Up Kit provides everything necessary for cleanup of bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, urine etc.

  • Sharps Biohazard Spill Cleanup and Disposal Kit -  Disposal By Mail System; Sharps Compliance, Inc,; www.sharpsinc.com

 

Bleeding Time Devices

Bleeding time products make an incision and are then discarded into an approved sharps container. A timer is started and the edge of the incision is blotted at 30-second intervals with filter paper. The time that the bleeding stops is noted.

  • Surgicutt® bleeding time; International Technidyne Corporation (ITC), a subsidiary of Thoratec Corporation, www.itcmed.com

 

Blood Collection

Blood drawing is the process of obtaining a sample of venous blood to assist in diagnosis. Typically a 5 ml to 25 ml sample of blood is adequate depending on what blood tests have been requested. A variety of devices are available to draw blood into evacuated tubes.

  • Hypodermic Needle-Pro® EDGE™ Safety Device, Saf-T Holders, Saf-T-Clik Blood Tube Holder, Venipuncture Needle-Pro Device (blood tube holder with needle shield attached); Smiths Medical, www.smiths-medical.com

  • SurShield™ Safety Winged Blood Collection, SurShield™ Safety Winged Infusion sets, Terumo Medical, www.terumotmp.com

  • Microvette® Capillary Blood Collection System, Multifly®, S-Monovette® Blood Collection System; Sarstedt, www.sarstedt.com

  • ProGuard II™ Safety Needle Holder, Defender Safety Needle Holder, MONOJECT MAGELLAN™ Safety Blood Collection Device, MONOJECT™ ANGEL WING™ Blood Collection Sets with Needle Holder, MONOJECT™ ANGEL WING™ Blood Collection/Infusion Sets with Female Luer, MONOJECT™ ANGEL WING™ Blood Collection/Infusion Sets with Multi-Sample Luer Adapter, ANGEL WING™ Blood Collection Assembly with MONOJECT BLUNTIP™ Safety I.V. Access Cannula, ANGEL WING™ Luer Lock Collection Set, MONOJECT™ ANGEL WING™ Multi-Sample Collection Sets-Male; Covidien, www.kendallhealthcare.com

  • ITL Samplok® Tube Holders, ITL, www.itlcorporation.com/samplok.php

  • VACUETTE® QuickShield Tube Holder, VACUETTE® VISIO PLUS Blood Collection Needle, VACUETTE® Safety Tube Holders, VACUETTE® Safety Blood Collection Sets, MiniCollect Capillary Blood Collection System; Greiner Bio One; www.gbo.com/preanalytics

  • Vacutainer Eclipse Blood Collection Needle, Vacutainer® Push Button Blood Collection Set, Vacutainer® Safety-Lok™ Blood Collection Set, Eclipse Safety Shielding Blood Collection Needle, One Use Stackable Holder, Vacutainer Passive Shielding Blood Collection Needle with Integrated Blood Tube Holder, Vacutainer® Eclipse™ Blood Collection Needle, Vacutainer® Push Button Collection Set, BD Vacutainer Flashback Needle; BD, www.bd.com

  • VanishPoint Blood Collection Tube Holder (needle-retracting tube holder with back-end needle protection); Retractable Technologies, www.vanishpoint.com

  • One Stick Y extension set with Volumeter, One Stick LLC, www.1stick.com

  • Punctur-Guard Blood Collection Needle; Gaven Medical; www.gavenmedical.com

 

Blood Culture Bottles

A blood culture is a laboratory test in which blood is injected into bottles of culture media to determine whether microorganisms have invaded the patient’s bloodstream. These blood cultures are ordered as a set consisting of two bottles, one that is an aerobic bottle and one that is an anaerobic bottle. A blood culture is done when a person has symptoms of a blood infection or bacteremia. Blood is withdrawn from the person and is then tested in a laboratory to find and identify any microorganism present and growing in the blood. This allows the physician to prescribe antibiotics if a microorganism is found. Blood is drawn from a person suspected of blood infection and is put directly into a blood culture bottle containing a nutritional broth. Some culture bottles allow clinicians to use safety needled products in transferring the blood.

 

Blood Culture Bottle Sample Introduction

These products are used to collect samples into vacuum blood culture bottles for bacterial detection and test tubes for laboratory tests.

 

Blood Donor Needles

Blood donor needles transfers blood from a blood donor into donor bags. Following the blood donation the needle is retracted or shielded to prevent needlestick injuries.

 

Blood Filtration Set

Blood filtration set designed for the neonatal infusion of frequently administered small volumes of blood, blood components and other fluids subject to micro filtration. The filtration set replaces a needle filter.

 

Blood Slide Preparation Devices

These products eliminate the need to remove the stopper from the blood tube. The old and potentially dangerous method to prepare differential slides was to take two glass slides, open a blood tube by removing its cap, place a drop of blood onto one of the slides and then place one slide against the other one. New safety products can eliminate the potential of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and without the risk of broken glass or blood splatter.

 

Blood Splash Protection

OSHA has recommended that healthcare workers protect themselves from biohazardous splashes, aerosols, and sprays. One method of doing this is by using transparent shields that can limit bloodborne pathogen exposures.

 

Blood Transfer Devices

Blood can sometime need to be transferred from a syringe draw to an evacuated tube. Safety products can be used to eliminate sharps and bloodborne pathogen exposure during this process.

 

Blunt Cannula Needles

Blunt cannula needles can be used in a variety of settings where a cannula is needed but where a sharp one is not required.

 

Blunt Suture Needles

Blunt needle cannula complies with OSHA Bloodborne Standard for Engineering Controls. Blunt needles can be used to access pre-pierced ports, and single or multi-dose drug vials. Use of these products can increase safety and ease of use by decreasing the number of steps required to draw and deliver intravenous fluids.

  • Auto Suture™ENDO STITCH™ 10 mm Suturing Device, PROTECT•POINT™ Blunt Point Needles; U.S. Surgical, www.syneture.com

  • Ethiguard Blunt Point; Ethicon, Inc., www.ethicon.com

 

Bodily Fluid Waste Disposal

In the past, hazardous blood wastes from angiographic catheterizations were "squirted" into an open basin creating a messy, potentially infection problem for clinicians and those required to clean up after the case.  Closed waste basins provide a safer alternative and minimize exposure to staff.

 

Bone Marrow Biopsy Needle Kits

Bone marrow biospy needle kits provide all of the components necessary to acquire bone marrow aspirate with safety components included in the kit.

  • Kendall® GOLDENBERG SNARECOIL™* Bone Marrow Biopsy and Aspiration Trays with Safety Components, Kendall® MONOJECT™ Bone Marrow Biopsy Trays with Safety Components, MONOJECT™ Bone Marrow Aspiration Trays with Rosenthal Type Needle with Safety Components
    MONOJECT™ Bone Marrow Biopsy Trays with Safety; Covidien, www.kendallhealthcare.com

 

Bone Marrow Collection Systems

Closed system that allows for the collection of bone marrow aspirates without healthcare worker exposure.

  • Bone Marrow Collection System with Sealed Collection Bag; BioAccess, www.bioaccess.com

 

Bone Mill, Disposable

Bone mills are used to grind bone to be used for spinal fusion, orthopedic reconstruction, and maxillofacial procedures. These procedures expose health-care workers to sharps injuries.  A disposable bone mill can eliminate exposure to sharp injuries for hospital staff, as well as cross-contamination for patients and OR personnel. Since the disposable mill is thrown away after each procedure, there is no risk for blood-borne pathogen exposure.

 

Capillary Blood Collection

Capillary blood sampling is used when only small amounts of blood are needed for testing. A capillary puncture may be used when venipuncture would be too invasive or when other clinical features are manifest such as extensive scarring, bruising, obesity, and so on.

 

Carpuject Safety Needle Systems

Carpuject syringe systems consist of prefilled cartridges that can be loaded into a specialized syringe holder. The holder is a reusable, plastic device. The other component is a disposable cartridge unit containing medication.

 

Cataract Safety Scalpel

Specially designed, integrated retractable shield that protects the blade in procedure and handling. Allow the incision is scleral or corneal.

 

Catheter Securement Devices

According to the CDC, sutureless securement devices can be advantageous over suture securement in preventing catheter-related BSIs. The Infusion Nurses Society (INS) has indicated that using a manufactured stabilization device is preferred to suturing or taping.

 

Central Venous Catheters

A central venous catheter (CVC) is placed into a large vein in the neck (internal jugular vein), chest (subclavian vein) or groin (femoral vein). Central venous catheters are used to deliver medication, fluids, obtain blood tests and obtain cardiovascular measurements including some tests as central venous pressures.

 

Cerclage fixation of osteotomized or fractured bone fragments
Traditional cerclage fixation is performed with metallic wires and cables, which are stiff and prone to breakage during tightening in the OR and while the patient performs normal activities of daily living.  These broken metal wires and cables present sharp metallic ends that pose a significant risk of injury and potential disease transmission for the surgeon, staff, and patient.  The medical literature is replete with references to such hazards.  Newer technologies eliminate such risks because they are engineered from a flexible polymer material that is strong, soft, and "friendly" to both gloves and tissue.

  • Supercable™  Iso-Elastic™ Cerclage System; Kinamed Incorporated; www.kinamed.com
     

Chemotherapy Reconstitution Products

Products in this category are designed to help prevent aerosolization of chemotherapy and other hazardous drugs into the atmosphere during reconstitution.

 

Chemo Waste Sharps Containers

Specialized containers to place needles and other sharps into as mandated by law. In addition, these containers are used for chemotherapy waste products.

  • B-D Multi-Use One-Piece Sharps Containers,BD Chemo Waste 9 gal. 17 gal.; BD, www.bd.com

  • Chemo Waste Sharps Container; Health Care Logistics Inc., www.healthcarelogistics.com

  • Chemotherapy container; Bemis, www.bemishealthcare.com .

  • CHEMO-O-GATOR™ Sharps Containers, CHEMOSAFETY™ Containers with Hinged Lids, CHEMOSAFETY™ Containers with Sliding Lid, SharpSafety™ Chemotherapy Sharps Containers, Covidien, www.kendallhealthcare.com

 

Closed Arterial Sampling

Closed needleless arterial blood collection systems are designed to reduces the risk of nosocomial infection or line sepsis, reduce splashing and spraying of blood during sampling and reduces the potential exposure from needlesticks.

Closed Venous Sampling

Closed needleless venous blood collection systems are designed to reduces the risk of nosocomial infection or line sepsis, reduce splashing and spraying of blood during sampling and reduces the potential exposure from needlesticks.

Closed System Antineoplastic Systems

An important part of treatment for cancer patients is the use of antineoplastic agents. Unfortunately, these agents have been associated with potential adverse health effects for the individuals who prepare, administer and dispose of these medications. This is a major concern because there are more cancer patients than in the past, greater combinations of chemotherapeutic drugs are being used, more potent drugs are being used, and new procedures and settings have now been implemented. Often the drugs used for chemotherapy have a similar structure or activity known to hazardous drugs. Many of these drugs are carcinogenic, teratogenic, and can create reproductive and organ toxicity. Closed system protective devices can virtually eliminate any exposure of toxic drugs to healthcare workers, custodial staff or waste management employees.

  • ONGUARD™ Contained Medication System with TEADAPTOR™ Components; B Braun, www.bbraun.com

 

Cord Clamping Products

Two plastic clamps are placed on the cord and then are severed with scissors. Both disposable and reusable scissors are a potential source of sharps injuries to healthcare workers and others. Newer technologies exist that can take the risk of a sharps injury out of this procedure.

 

Cord Blood Collection Products

Cord blood collection products are designed to obtain samples of venous umbilical cord blood after delivery of a newborn infant and aids in the prevention of needle stick injuries.

 

Dental Anesthesia—Automatic

Computer controlled local anesthesia delivery enhances the injection process for both the dentist and the patient. Safety products retract the needle after injection making it safe for dental professionals.

  • STA - Single tooth administration with SafetyWand; Milestone Scientific, www.milesci.com

 

Dental Anesthesia Syringe

Dental Anesthetic Syringes provide one-handed, single-use, disposable syringe injectors for the delivery of dental anesthetics.

 

Dosing Adapter

A self-sealing septum allows access to the container's contents using nearly any brand oral syringe.

 

Epidural Needle

Safety Epidural Needles help anesthesiologists meet OSHA guidelines while taking care of the needs of patients.

  • Perifix® Safety Epidural Needle; B. Braun Medical Inc., www.bbraun.com

 

Epidural Continuous Infusion Trays

Safety epidural trays have safety components that keep clinicians safe from needlestick injury and bloodborne pathogen exposure.

 

Evacuated Blood Tubes, Plastic

Glass evacuated blood tubes have been used for decades and they frequently break exposing clinicians to unnecessary risks.  Plastic Evacuated Blood Tubes are available for a variety of tests.

 

Face Shields

Face shields protect the face from blood splash incidents.

Fascia Closing Device

Accidental suture needlesticks are the leading cause of sharps injury in the operating room. Suture needlesticks have been reported at rates as high as one in every 18 surgical cases, placing surgeons and OR personnel at serious risk of life-threatening infections.

 

Finger Incision Devices

One method for blood collection when very little blood is needed is the finger-incision method. These products have a hidden blade that incises the skin to a controlled, standardized depth. The device creates a shallow incision in the finger which cuts more of the capillary bed without cutting too deeply thus allowing blood to flow freely for a high quality blood specimen.

  • Tenderlett® finger incision devices, International Technidyne Corporation (ITC), www.itcmed.com

 

Finger Protection

This category features devices used to provide needlestick protection during gynecological and urological surgical procedures. These products facilitate suture placement and tissue dissection and can be used in surgical procedures of other specialties. They are radiopaque for identification during radiological studies.

 

Finger-stick Sampling

When only small quantities of blood are needed for testing a small sample of blood can be obtained by means of a finger stick. A finger stick describes the process of puncturing or incising the skin with a small sharp blade. The blood is allowed to pool on the finger tip and a small capillary tube is placed against the blood where it is apirated up into the tube.

 

Flu Syringe

The CDC has recommended all health care providers, as well as those in training for healthcare professions, be vaccinated annually against influenza. It is important that institutions use safety syringes when administering flu shots to their employees.

 

 

Glove, Puncture Indicator Gloves

The double gloving system that visibly indicates when a puncture occurs in the presence of fluid. Surgical gloves not only prevent infection of the patient during surgery, but also from the primary barrier to viral transmission from the patient to the wearer. However, any puncture in the glove can present a potential hazard. This unique product category provides the wearer with an immediate, easily recognizable visual indication of glove puncture in the presence of fluid, providing a proven precaution against the risks to the surgical team from bloodborne pathogens during medical procedures. If the outer glove is punctured, ingress of fluid through the puncture hole is clearly visible as a dark green patch around the site of the puncture.

  • Biogel Reveal™ double gloving system; Biogel PI Indicator glove,; Mölnlycke Health Care, www.molnlycke.com

 

Guide wire bowl or basin

Guide wire basins or holders can organize, hydrate and hold guide wires.  They can also be used to contain the guide wire upon disposal and thus protecting clinicians from an injury from the end of the guide wire.

 

Hand Hygiene Products

Each year there are many serious nosocomial infections. In fact, over 90,000 patient deaths per year are attributed to nosocomial infection.  The costs for treatment are over $4.5 Billion per year in the U.S. alone.  One of the big issues is hand washing compliance which is only at about 40 percent.  One study performed in a hospital nursery found that babies acquired staphylococci more frequently when cared for by nurses who didn't wash their hands than babies cared for by nurses who washed their hands between patient contacts. New guidelines developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and infection-control organizations recommend that healthcare workers use an alcohol-based hand rub (a gel, rinse or foam) to routinely clean their hands between patient contacts, as long as hands are not dirty.

 

Hazardous Waste Containers

Hazardous Waste Containers are designed to segregate hazardous pharmaceutical waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

 

HeelStick Lancet or Incision Devices

Heel stick Lancet or incision devices provide a safe, effective method for obtaining blood samples from the heels of infants.

  • BD Quikheel™ Lancet; BD, www.bd.com

  • HemoHeel and HemoHeel Preemie; Helena Laboratories, www.helena.com

  • Tenderfoot® Heel Incision Device; International Technidyne Corp. (ITC), www.itcmed.com

 

Hemodialysis Catheters/Needles

Damaged kidneys require use of hemodialysis where blood flows into a special filter that removes wastes and fluids. “Clean” blood flows back into the body. Most of us are fortunate enough to have two healthy kidneys that keep our blood clean by removing wastes, and excess fluid and minerals. The kidneys also produce hormones that keep our bones strong and our blood healthy. If our kidneys were to fail, harmful wastes build up in our bodies, our blood pressure may rise, and we retain excess fluid. We also do not make enough red blood cells. When these conditions occur it is necessary to get treatments that will replace the functioning of failing kidneys.

  • ButtonHole  Needle Sets, MasterGuard Anti-Stick Needle Protector, Medic Anti-Stick Needle/Connector; Medisystems Corp., www.medisystems.com

  • Shelly Protected Fistula Needle; Discount Medical Supply Inc., www.diasol.com

  • SysLoc Safety A.V. Fistula Needle Set, WingEaster A.V. Fistula Needle Guard; JMS North America Corporation, www.jmsna.com

 

Hemoglobin Reader

Typical hemoglobin readers require a variety of methods to place the sample into the machine increasing risk of bloodborne pathogen exposure.  New technologies exist that allow blood to be pulled into the microcuvette with capillary action.

  • HemoCue Blood Hemoglobin Photometer; Hemocue. a Quest Diagnostics Company, www.hemocue.com

 

Huber Needles

Huber needles administer chemotherapy, antibiotics, and TPN through implanted ports. The needle may be left in the port for days and it can sometimes be difficult to extract the needle safely. The difficulty of pulling the needle out creates a recoil action with the clinician often getting stuck by the needle into the stabilizing hand. Safety Huber needles, therefore are essential to use.

 

Infectious Waste Sharps Collectors for Regulated Medical Waste

Most of us are concerned about needlestick injuries and the concern about infectious agents. Other items used in the delivery of health care or in research and which have come in contact with infectious agents, for example, glass or rigid plastic culture tubes, flasks, beakers, etc., must also be considered as sharps and be disposed of accordingly. This category allows for the proper disposal of items that do not typify the "classic sharp" because they still can give rise to puncture or laceration wounds.

  • BD Infectious Waste Collectors 9 gal. 17 gal. and 19 gal.; BD; www.bd.com

  • Sharps Compliance 5-gallon medical waste collection pail (non-mailback); Sharps Compliance, Inc.; www.sharpsinc.com

  • Bemis Infectious Waste Containers; 2 gallon, 3 gallon, 8 and 11 gallon Red sharps containers; Bemis Healthcare; www.bemishealthcare.com/

     

 

Injection Therapy

 

Instrument Counter

 

 

Insulin Injection

 

Insulin Pen

An insulin pen is a small device the size of a fountain pen that includes a needle and holds a vial of insulin. It can be used instead of a syringe for giving insulin injections.

 

Insulin Pen needle remover

Insulin Pen needle removers were designed for the easy removal of insulin pen needles, minimizing the risk of accidental punctures.

 

Introducer Needles

These long needles are used to obtain access to the vasculature for cardiology or radiology procedures. Following the needle insertion into the patient’s vasculature, a guide wire is inserted through the needle. The needle is removed from off the guide wire.   Safety products with needles that retract or are shielded are now available.

 

Iontophoretic Drug Delivery Products

Ionotophoresis could be defined as the ability to move medication across the skin by using an electrical charge. Ionotophoresis uses low level electrical current to speed up the delivery of the drug ions into the skin and surrounding tissues. This is an alternate method to a typical injection using a needle.

  • Lidosite; B Braun/ www.Lidosite.bbraunusa.com

 

IV Access

IV and Vial Access blunt and plastic needles fit a variety of pre-pierced ports and can be used with any single or multi-dose drug vial. This can increase safety and ease of use by decreasing the number of steps required to draw and deliver intravenous fluids.

  • Monoject Angel Wing Blood Collection Set with BlunTip, Monject Angel Wing Luer Lock Collection Set,  MONOJECT BLUNTIP™ Safety I.V. Access Cannula,  MONOJECT BLUNTIP™ Safety I.V. Access Cannula with Vial Access Pin,  MONOJECT BLUNTITE™ I.V. Security Clip, MONOJECT SmarTip™, MONOJECT™ LIFE SHIELD™ Safety I.V. Access Cannulas and Combos; Covidien, www.kendallsharpsafety.com

  • Blunt Cannula Needle; Alimed; www.alimed.com

  • Abbott Life Shield Blunt Cannula; Abbott Laboratories; www.abbott.com

  • Terumo Medic Plastic Anti-Stick Needle/Connector; Terumo Medical; www.terumotmp.com

  • Medex Blunt Cannula Needle Free Access Device; Smiths Medical; www.smiths-medical.com

  • BD Blunt Cannula; BD; www.bd.com

 

IV Catheter

Safety IV catheters are used to access the bloodstream for IV administration of drugs and for aspiration of blood while keeping healthcare worker safe.

 

Knee Tap Syringe

After a traumatic knee injury blood may collect behind the knee cap. This blood collection can cause swelling, pain, and immobility and should be removed.  After preparing the skin with an antiseptic solution, a needle is inserted underneath the knee cap where a a small amount of local anesthetic is injected at the injection site. The clinician then inserts a large bore needle attached to a syringe into a point just below the center of the knee cap. The clinician feels a "pop" as he/she feels the needle enter the sac. The clinician will then aspirate as much blood as possible. If the syringe is completely filled, the syringe is emptied and reattached. At the end of the procedure a safety syringe is attached to the needle and the needle is retracted into the barrel.

 

Lancet

Lancets are fine sharp-pointed blades or needles used to get a sample of blood for glucose testing. Most automatic lancing devices consist of a hand-held tube with a spring-loaded lancet. To obtain a blood sample, the device is held against the skin and a button is pressed to release the lancet.


Lavage Tray, Inflatable

Inflatable surgical trays designed to prevent spillage of blood and lavage fluids during surgery.

 

Luer Access Valve Disinfection Cap

Provides passing disinfection of valve top and threads.

 

Lumbar Puncture Kits

Lumbar puncture procedures are performed for a variety of purposes including: diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) infections, diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage, infusion of anesthetic, chemotherapy, or contrast agents into the spinal canal, treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension and the evaluation and diagnosis on demylinating or inflammatory CNS processes. There are lumbar puncture kits available with safety components to protect the healthcare worker from inadvertent exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infected materials. Curity™  Lumbar Puncture Trays with Safety Components, Sensitouch™ Lumbar Puncture Trays with Safety Components; Covidien, www.Covidien.com

  • Safe-T-LP™; Cardinal Health, www.cardinal.com

  • Curity™Lumbar Puncture Trays with Safety Components, Sensitouch™ Lumbar Puncture Trays with Safety Components; Covidien, www.Covidien.com

  • Portex Lumbar Puncture Trays with needles safety, Smiths Medical,  www.smiths-medical.com

  • Neonatal Pediatric Lumbar Puncture Tray with Safety Components; Utah Medical Products, Inc.; www.utahmed.com

 

Magnetic Drapes

 

Magnetic Instrument Transfer

Magnetic drapes introduce a safe and effective way to minimize percutaneous injuries and accidental sticks during instrument transfer in the OR. Magnetic drapes attract and hold surgical instruments on the sterile field. They could be part of a comprehensive program to include engineering controls and proper work practices to eliminate bloodborne pathogen exposures.

 

Magnetic Floor Sweeper

 

 

Magnetic Mats

 

 

Magnetic Sharps Retriever

Does your institution have a method that is outlined to pick up sharps that have fallen onto the floor?  Hands should never be used to do this. There are several hands-free sharps collection systems that can easily fit under operating room and exam tables. This allows medical personnel to retrieve needles and other sharps without bending or stretching and without risking an accidental sharps injury.

Medication Reconstitution

There are many new drugs that have recently been marketed in a lyophilized form. This increases the shelf life of the product and shortens the time-to-market. These drugs require an additional reconstitution step prior to administration.

Microfiltration

Microfiltration of blood is used when infusing small volumes of blood, blood components and other fluids.

 

Microblood Collection

Micro blood collection requires gathering small amounts of blood without the clinician being exposed during the collection process.

 

Micro introducer

Micro Introducer kits are intended to provide vascular access using a smaller needle and dilating the vessel to introduce a larger catheter.

 

Minimally Invasive Laparoscopic Suturing Device

  • SuturTek Endo360° minimally invasive suturing devices Suturtek; www.suturtek.com

 

Myelogram Safety Trays

Myelogram trays that have safety components to minimize needlestick and other sharps injuries and bloodborne pathgogen exposures.

 

Mylar-Wrapped Glass Hematocrit Tubes

Mylar-wrapped Hematocrit Tubes provide the precision of using glass tubes with the safety provided by a Mylar overwrap.  If the tube breaks accidentally the Mylar wrap protects from glass injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposures.

  • BD Vacutainer Plastic Clad Micro-hematocrit tubes; BD; www.bd.com

  • Hemato-Clad Mylar-wrapped Hematocrit Tube; Drummond Scientific Company; www.drummondsci.com

  • SafeCap Self-Sealing Mylar-wrapped capillary tubes; Safe-Tec Clinical Products, Inc; www.safe-tecinc.com/

 

Needle Counter

During surgery, it is important to keep track of how many needles have been used to ensure that all of them have been removed from a patient when the operation is completed. Counting devices are frequently used in surgery to keep track of the number of used needles.

 

Needle Disintegration Products

Needle disintegration products incinerate the needle immediately after an injection has been administered. By incinerating the sharp at very high temperatures, any liquid or residue inside of the needle is evaporated which removes infectious threats.

 

Needle-free IV Systems

Needle-free IV access systems are used for the aspiration, injection or gravity flow of fluids into the body.

  • BD Q-Syte™ Luer Access Split-Septum, BD Posiflow™ Positive Pressure Valve, BD Interlink® Needleless IV Access Devices, BD Twinpak Dual Cannula Device; BD, www.bd.com

  • Clave Connector, CLC 2000 Catheter Connector, Mini-Clave Connector,MicroClave MAPS and Micro Clave Connector Sets,TEGO Connector  ; ICU Medical, www.icumed.com

  • FLOLINK Valve -Simplicity in Positive Displacement IV Valves, Interlink IV Access System, Clearlink IV Access System,V-Link with vitalshield protective coating;  Baxter, www.baxter.com

  • FloStar Needleless Connector; Intravascular Inc., www.intravascularinc.com

  • InVision-Plus® Neutral Displacement I.V. Connector; Rymed, www.rymedtech.com

  • LifeShield® CLAVE®, Lifeshield Pre-pierced Reseal IV Sets, ; Hospira, www.hospira.com .

  • Max Y Connector, MaxPlus Needless Connector;MaxPlus Clear, Medegen, www.medegen.com

  • Needleless Swabable Valves; Halkey-Roberts, www.halkey-roberts.com

  • Smartsite Needle-free Valve, Smartsite Plus Needle Free Valve; Cardinal Health, Alaris Medical Systems, www.cardinalhealth.com

  • Ultrasite® Needle-free IV System, Safetline Split System, Safsite capped Valve System, ;  B Braun, www.bbraun.com

  • Interlink IV Access System, Baxter Healthcare Corporation; www.baxter.com

  • Smartsite® IV Sets and accessories, Cardinal, www.cardinalhealth.com

  • Texium Closed Male Luer Connector; Cardinal Health; www.cardinalhealth.com  

 

Needle-free IV System Protector

Needleless IV access ports are often contaminated by air born contamination and by touch. it is very important to make sure that the injection site is clean prior to use. Products in this category helped to decontaminate the needleless IV access port and provides an effective, consistent and repeatable swabbing of luer activated needleless  injection sites.

 

Needle-free IV Bag Spike

Many IV sets have a spike on one end and an injection site on the other. The injection site is used to transfer medications directly into the IV bag. The use of a needle creates an unnecessary sharps exposure for healthcare workers and also provides an unnecessary risk to toxic medications. Needle-free systems are available that eliminate these risks.

 

Needle-free Stopcock

Stopcocks provide a needle-free method of having multiple lines fed from  a needleless connector.

 

Needleless Manifold Systems

Manifold systems use the luer on a syringe to transfer fluids without the need for needles.

 

Needle Parking Device

Needle parking devices allow clinicians to use a one-handed technique during suturing by letting them park the suture needle between stitches.

 

Neuropathy Screening

During neurological examination clinicians have used needles and pins to determine if the patient has a decrease in sensation of sharpness or pain in small nerve fibers. Sterile Safety products are available that do not create an opportunity for an accidental needlestick or bloodborne pathogen exposure.

 

Neutral Zone Products

The neutral zone is a location on the surgical field where sharps are placed from which the surgeon or scrub can retrieve them. Sharp instruments should always be passed using a neutral zone or product to minimize accidents and self wounding with sharp instruments.

 

Nuclear Medicine Safety Products

Sharps safety products that protect clinicians from accidental needlesticks while providing appropriate tools for nuclear studies

 

Ophthalmic Scalpel

Safety ophthalmic scalpels protect surgeon and nurses from the potential exposure of hepatitis and HIV. In addition, they can also protect patients from prions that are found in ophthalmic tissue that are not destroyed during sterilization procedures. Therefore, a disposable safety ophthalmic scalpel is very important

  • Beaver Safety Cataract Knives, Atomic Edge Safety silicon knives; BD, www.bd.com/ophthalmology

  • Diamatrix Sharps Safety Stainless Steel Knife, Diamatrix Surgical Steel E-Series® Trapezoid blade,ProTekt Sharps Safety Knives; Diamatrix Ltd., www.diamatrix.com

  • SharpGuard Guarded Knives, Angiotech; www.sharpoint.com

  • Storz Instruments Guarded Disposable Knives, Bausch & Lomb, www.storz.com

  • Feather SafeShield Microscalpel, OASIS Medical, www.oasismedical.com

     

Oral Medication Syringes

For Quick and Accurate Dispensing of Small Doses of Oral Medications

 

Paracentesis Trays

Safety Paracentesis Procedure Trays include all necessary products to complete a paracentesis procedure and includes safety components to assure a safe working environment.

 

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG)

Safety Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) kits contain safety components to minimize blood-borne pathogen exposure.

 

Peripheral IV Catheters

After a peripheral IV catheter  is inserted into a small vessel the needle is removed leaving a short over-the-needle catheter. Safety products are available that protect the clinician from being stuck following removal of the needle.

  • ACUVANCE® JELCO Safety IV Catheter, ADVANTIV® Safety I.V. Catheters,PROTECTIV® Safety I.V. Catheters,  ProtectIV and ProtectIV Catheter; Smiths Medical, www.smiths-medical.com

  • BD Angiocath Autoguard Shielded IV Catheter, BD Angiocath-N Autoguard Shielded IV Catheter for Small Vein Access, BD Autoguard Pro Shielded IV Catheter,BD Insyte Autoguard Shielded IV Catheter, BD Insyte-N Autoguard Shielded IV Catheter for Small Vein Access, BD Saf-T-Intima IV Catheter Safety System, Becton Dickinson; www.bd.com

  • Introcan Safety IV catheter, B. Braun Medical Inc., www.bbraun.com

  • Secure IV peripheral venous catheter, SpanAmerica Medical Systems, LLC, http://www.spanamerica.com/siv/index.html 

 

Pharmacy Sharps and Waste Disposal

Specialized waste containers are necessary to meet the various state regulations for pharmaceutical waste.

 

PICC Catheter

Peripherally inserted central catheter trays are available with safety components that enhance clinician/patient safety and facilitates hopistal compliance with federal and state regulations.

 

PICC Catheter Trays with Safety Components

Peripherally inserted central catheter trays are available with safety components that enhance clinician/patient safety and facilitates hopistal compliance with federal and state regulations.

 

PICC Introducer

Specialized PICC introduces are available that protect the clinician from an accidental needlestick injury.

  • BD Introsyte-N™ Autoguard™ Shielded introducer for neonatal PICC and Midline catheters; BD Introsyte Autoguard Shielded Introducer for PICC and Midline Catheters with BD Instaflash Needle Technology;  BD,  www.bd.com

  • Safety Excalibur Introducer System Bard Access Systems, Safety Seldinger Introducer Needle; Bard Access Systems. www.bardaccess.com

  • The Wand; Access Scientific; www.the-wand.com

 

Plastic Crimping

Many clinicians are injured by metal crimping and broken glass wind opening radiopaque solutions. The PLUSPAK innovative packaging protects against sharps injuries from metal crimps and broken glass. It enhances workplace safety by providing a pull-ring and twist-off cap that helps to avoid injuries that often occur when using metal caps.

 

Plastic Fingerstick Sampling Blood Collection Tube

Specialized collection and dispensing tubes allow for blood sample collection and dispensing from a single plastic tube.

 

Plastic Hematocrit Tubes

Plastic hematocrit tubes should be used instead of using unprotected glass automatically tubes. Broken glass hematocrit tubes expose health care workers and others to the risk of infectious disease transmitted by blood via broken glass.

 

Plastic IV Access Cannula

 

Platelet Transfer

Platelets can be transferred safely and can prevent needle stick injury to healthcare workers, donors, cleaning staff, contaminated waste disposal staff and the public at large.

 

Pneumothorax Trays

Pneumothorax trays with safety components to minimize the risk of needlestick or scalpel injury from conventional products.

 

Pre-filled Syringes

A prefilled syringe is a single-dose packet of medicant.  Pre-filled syringe systems were used first in Europe during the 1980s. Pre-filled syringe systems have now been introduced in the United States. Having a prefilled system assures dosage accuracy during injection

  • ChaSyr™ Prefilled Syringe, Infusive Technologies, Inc.,www.infusive.us

  • BD PosiFlush™ Pre-Filled Syringes; BD, www.bd.com

  • Carpuject® Syringe System; Pre-filled Flush Syringes; Hospira, www.hospira.com

 

Pre-operative Surgical Clippers

The CDC state in the 1999 Guideline for Prevention of Surgical Site Infection that if hair is removed, it should be removed immediately before the operation with an electrical clipper which is associated with lower infection rates than shaving.

 

Pre-procedure Bandages

Pre-Procedure Bandages are applied to the skin PRIOR to puncturing the skin. This provides a greatly enhanced degree of protection. The isolation of the site has already occurred before the skin is broken. Human exposure to bloodborne pathogens is minimized and contaminated sharps can be disposed of immediately. Pre-procedure bandages can protect healthcare workers from needlestick injuries and prevention of cross contamination of the intimate contacts of vaccinated individuals as well

 

Pre-surgical Skin Markers

Clinicians change gloves with each patient and they can now change their skin markers.

 

Pulls, Nurse call or light

Existing pull cords  are constructed of nylon material which is absorbant and can allow organisms to permeate deep within the fibers.  Alternate cords that are cleanable can be placed in restroom, shower stations, bedside lighting, and other places to avoid potential problems with bodily fluid secretions.

 

Pulse Oximeter Probe Covers

Pulse Oximeter probes are used for multiple patients.  There our technologies that prevent cross contamination between patients.

 

Puncture-resistant Gloves

Hospitals dispose of thousands of contaminated needles every day. Not only do needles end up in the trash, but they often show up in hospital laundry. Needle resistant products help prevent workers from getting stuck on the job when they come across needles.

 

Radial Artery Catheter

To perform catheterization of a radial artery safely using the modified Seldinger technique,  a catheter kit containing safety components, guidewire, sharp needle and catheter is needed.

  • Arrow Radial Artery Catheterization Kit with Integral Needle Protection; Arrow, www.arrowintl.com

 

Recapping Devices

The revised OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard permits recapping of contaminated needles only under very specific and limited circumstances, such as with incremental doses of medication or the injection of radioactive materials. When recapping must be performed, it must be accomplished by the use of a mechanical device or one-handed technique.

 

Retracting Needles, Automatic

Every year numerous clinicians suffer an accidental needlestick injury. It is estimated that there are 1 million needlestick injuries in the US patent 3 million needlestick injuries in the world each year. Retractable syringes can help solve this problem. There are essentially no clinical applications for which retractable syringes are not only suitable but life saving in nature.

Retracting Needles, Manual

Every year numerous clinicians suffer an accidental needlestick injury. It is estimated that there are 1 million needlestick injuries in the US patent 3 million needlestick injuries in the world each year. Retractable syringes can help solve this problem. There are essentially no clinical applications for which retractable syringes are not only suitable but life saving in nature.

Safety Debridement

Safety Debridement Kits assist in the removal of dead, contaminated or adherent tissue from a wound site.  Some kits contact safety components to minimize sharps injuries.

 

Scalpels, Retractable

Retractable scalpel blades allow the clinician to slide the blade into a safe position prior to passing it.

·         Allegiance® Retractable Safety Scalpels; Cardinal, www.cardianal.com

  • Futura Safety Scalpel-retractable scalpel, Hypoguard  Futura™ safety scalpels; Futura Medical Corp., www.futuramedical.com

  • Futura Safety Scalpel-retractable scalpel, Merit Medical; www.merit.com

  • Surgeon brand Retractable Safety Scalpel with Steadfast Disposal Lock; Jai Surgical, www.jaisurgicals.com

 

Scalpels, Shielded

After use of the scalpel blade, a button slide is used to push a shield on top of the blade rendering it safe to pass or move into a neutral or safe transfer zone.

 

Scalpels, Weighted

One of the most frequent complaints about safety scalpels is that they lack the feel and weight of a standard scalpel. Since doctors make their living by being able to feel the blade as they make an incision, some manufacturers have produced safety scalpels that are weighted to feel like a conventional scalpel.

 

Scalpel Blade Remover

Removal of scalpel blades by hand is a practice that increases exposure to bloodborne and contact pathogens and oftentimes leads to percutaneous injury.   New methods of removing a scalpel blade from its holder will prevent these sharps injuries from occurring.

 

Scalpel Holder

Scalpel holder's provide protection from accidental sharps injuries by holding the scalpel in a safe position preventing accidental cuts or sticks.

 

Scalpel Handle, Protective Safety

One of the newest categories of safety products, the protective safety scalpel handles allow clinician to use choice of scalpel blade and has the same weight and feel as a conventional scalpel blade and yet covers up the blade after each use.

 

Scalpel Handle, Safety Reusable Metal

Some of the newer safety scalpel systems provide innovative methods to remove the scalpel blade without risking sharps injury.

 

Segment Sampling Devices

After receiving donated blood, blood bank personnel routinely will take a syringe and needle to obtain a fluid sample from the small tubing so they can create a cell suspension.  Needlestick injuries routinely occur during this process.  Newer technologies are present that can access the blood without compromising the safety of the clinician.

 

Self-sealing Capillary Tubes

Conventional capillary tubes have to be pushed into clay to seal the send of the tube. FDA, NIOSH and OSHA all recommend products that use a method of sealing that does not require manually pushing one end of the tube into putty to form a plug. Products in this category do not require a clay plug.

  • SAFECAP® Self-Sealing Microhematocrit Capillary Tubes with SAFEWRAP; SAFE-TEC Clinical Products Inc., www.safe-tecinc.com

 

Serum Dispenser

Prevent spillage and increase personal safety. Serum dispensers fit all standard 13mm blood collection tubes. A small opening allows dispensing of serum in a drop-like fashion. They replace the rubber stopper and permit easy sampling without the hazards associated with open tube use.

 

Sharps Containers, Dialysis

Clinicians in a dialysis deparment have unique sharps safety needs and need to be able to accomodate small and large sharps, including fistula needles.

 

Sharps Containers, Disposable

Numerous areas in healthcare need to have a sharps collectors that meet their specific needs. The most commonly used sharps containers are disposable in nature, that is, they should be disposed of when they are three quarters full.

  • Patient Room System, Phlebotomy & Multi-Use Containers, Wall Cabinet System, Large Volume & Chemotherapy Containers, Brackets and accessories; Bemis Healthcare, www.bemishealthcare.com

  • BD Next Generation In-Room Sharps Collector; BD, www.bd.com

  • Complete In-room System; Health Care Logistics Inc., www.healthcarelogistics.com

  • Sharps Disposal Containers; Greiner Bio- One, www.gbo.com/preanalytics

  • EPS Sharps Disposal; Medidose Inc., www.medidose.com

  • GatorGuard Sharps Disposal Containers, SharpStar Sharps Disposal Containers, RENEWABLES™ Sharps Disposal Containers manufactured using recycled plastics,GATORGUARD™ In-Patient Room Sharps Containers,IN-ROOM™ System with Always-Open Lids,IN-ROOM™ System with Mailbox-Style Lids, IN-ROOM™ System with SHARPSTAR™ Counterbalance Door,IN-ROOM™ System with SHARPSTAR™ Lift Assisted Lid, SHARPS-A-GATOR™ Tortuous Path Sharp Containers, SHARPSTAR™ IV 3 & 4 Gallon Sharps Container with SHARPSTAR™ Counterbalance Door,Horizontal-Drop Opening Lids, MONOJECT™ Sharps Containers, Multi-Purpose Sharps Container, SHARPS-A-GATOR™ Sharps Collection & Disposal Systems, ENVIROSTAR™ non-infectious waste sharps disposal container ; Covidien, www.kendallsharpsafety.com

  • Multi-Safe Disposal Box; Sarstedt, www.sarstedt.com

  • Sharps Secure® sharps collection system for public restrooms;Sharps Compliance Inc., www.sharpsinc.com

 

Sharps Containers, Large Volume

Healthcare workers and others need to be able to use a sharps disposal container to place needles and other sharps into as mandated by law.  Large products such as endoscopic instruments need a safe place for disposal. 

 

Sharps Containers, Mail-back

Mail-Back sharps containers help to provide a safe, cost-effective method of containment and disposal of medical waste for many light users of sharps including home health care, dental and physician offices, satellite healthcare facilities, health clubs, and hotels.  Simply put the sharps into the container, seal it up, and ship it! Over 8 million people use needles and syringes to manage medical conditions at home each year.  Home-generated needles and other sharps thrown into household waste present a great risk to sanitation and sewage treatment workers, janitors, housekeepers, children – even pets. Some municipalities are now setting laws into place to govern home sharps disposal. A Mail-back sharps container helps meet these requirements.  Once the container is full it is shipped to a manufacturer that destroys the sharps container and its contents.

 

 

Sharps Containers, Pharmaceutical

Pharmaceutical and oncology departments have some specific needs for sharps safety and must meet regulations for pharmaceutical waste. According to CDC/NIOSH, as many as one-third of all sharps injuries are related to the disposal process. Sharps disposal systems that meet certain criteria can help reduce the risk of sharps injury.

Sharps Containers, Reusable

Rather than disposing of a sharps container when it is filled, some organizations use a reusable sharps disposal container. Each time a reusable sharps disposal container is returned to service after reprocessing, the user facility should confirm that it meets its original performance elements. In addition, reusable sharps disposal containers should be rendered free of infectious organisms and infectious material each time they are reprocessed and before they are returned to service.

 

Sharps Securing Device

There are times when an integrated safety needle is not available for a specific need. During times like this, it is important to provide sharp securement.

 

Shielded Syringe

A shielded syringe provides protection to healthcare workers by providing a shield  that covers the needle and is locked into place preventing reuse of the syringe.

  • MONOJECT™ 3mL Safety Syringe, MONOJECT™ 6mL Safety Syringe, MONOJECT™ 12mL Safety Syringe; Covidien, www.kendallsharpsafety.com/sharpsafety

  • Gettig Guard Safety Syringe; Gettig Pharmacuetical Instrument Company; www.gettig.com

 

Slide Preparation - Blood Dispenser

After collecting blood, it is necessary to remove the stopper of a tube of blood when making a smear on a microscope slide. New technologies eliminate the need to remove the stopper of a tube of blood when making a smear. This eliminates the potential of a hazardous release of airborne pathogens.

 

Skin Stapler, Non-metal

After using metal skin staples to close an incision or laceration the metal staples had to be removed post-operatively creating accidental sharps injury opportunities.  New skin closure technologies exist where an absorbable skin staple is used that has the rapid closure times associated with metal skin staplers, while eliminating the need for metal staple removal post-operatively.

  • INSORB®| 20 Subcuticular Skin Stapler; Incisive Surgical, www.insorb.com

 

Skin Stapler Remover

Disposable skin staple removers are designed to provide fast and easy removal of surgical skin staples while protecting the hands of the clinician.

 

Solidification Products

It has been recommend from OSHA that healthcare workers take all possible precautions from direct exposure to infectious liquids. Solidification products absorb and encapsulate blood, vomit, or any fluid with at least 6% water content.

 

Spinal Trays

Safety-engineered spinal trays have components that make procedures safer for anesthesia personnel by providing safety products to minimize the risk of sharps injuries or bloodborne pathogen exposure.

 

Splash Prevention

 

Splash Protection

There are times when there is a need to sheild a clinician from aerosol sprays and splashes of biological fluids.  Plastic shields are available to act as a transparent barrier to biohazard splashes, aerosols and sprays for healthcare professionals and lab technicians.

 

Staple Remover

 

Sternum Closing Device

Closing the sternum manually places risk on the patient for inadvertent puncture injuries to the heart, lungs, and underlying vasculature. Newer technologies can reduce these risks as well as the risk of sternal bleeding and make it easier to close the sternum.

 

Strainers

Rather than reach by hand into a container contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious material, a strainer can be used to pick up products.

 

Striped Syringe for Labeling Safety

Write-on stripes provide an easy means to label a syringe. This protects patients by helping to reduce medication labeling errors.

 

Suction Canister System/Fluid Waste Management System

In one study it was found that about 40 percent of the infectious waste from hospital operating rooms is suction canister waste. Suction canisters hold body fluids and saline solution that are suctioned out of a patient by an aspirator during surgical procedures and patient care. Newer technologies provide safety methods of the disposal of suction canister contents.

  • Vac-U-Port™/Vac-U-Station™, Quick-Drain™ Liquid Infectious Waste Management System; Bemis, www.bemishealthcare.com

  • Res-Q-Vac Airway Suction System; ReproMed Systems, Inc; www.repro-med.com

  • Bemis Quick-Drain™ Liquid Infectious Waste Management System, Quick-Fit Suction Liners; Bemis Hi-Flow and Hydrophobic Suction Canisters, Bemis Healthcare; www.bemishealthcare.com

 

Surgical Clippers

Pre-operative hair removal used to mean shaving the surgical site prior to procedures. It is now recommended by AORN and CDC that the area NOT be shaved but that it should be clipped if necessary.  This pre-operative hair removal using surgical clippers offers many benefits over razors including a higher quality of care and improved comfort for patients. It will also lower infection rates which should make both patients and hospital administrators happy.

 

Surgical Floor Aspirator

During a surgical procedure towels or mats are placed on the floor to absorb and clean up body fluids.  Newer technologies are avaialbe that can eliminate this by aspirating the fluids into a container.

 

Surgical Instrument Organizer Products

Sharp injury potential can be miniminzed when the surgical instruments are organized with their tips away from the practitioner. Products are available to help surgical staff better organize sharps instruments.

 

Surgical Instrument Transfer Products

To avoid the use of hand-to-hand transfer of sharps instruments, safety products are available to transfer commonly used sharp instruments in the surgical setting. Rather than passing it from one clinicians hand into another, the clinician simply sets the sharps into a transfer tray and then removes his hand. The technician or nurse can then retrieve the sharp safely.

 

Surgical Safety Products

There are a number of safety products that can be used to reduce the potential of sharps injuries in the surgical suite.

 

Syringe Labeling for Safety

Write-on stripes provide an easy means to label a syringe. This protects patients by helping to reduce medication labeling errors.

 

Syringe Management System

This group of safety products is a "point-of-care” automated syringe and sharps disposal system that completely extracts the needle from the syringe body.  Following an injection, the syringe and needle are dropped into the management system where the needle is removed from the syringe and dropped into a special internal sharps container.

 

  • SMS-1, SharpsFree SMS-2 (Sharps Management System - Pro), SharpsFree SMS-3 (Sharps Mgmt System - Personal), SharpsFree SMS-4 (Sharps Mgmt System, wall mount); Medtech, www.sharpsfree.com  

 

Temporary Sharps Containers

At times it is difficult to have a sharps container right next to where a medical procedure is being performed.  A temporary sharps container is one that contains sharp needle points during the course of a procedure.  The temporary sharps container is then transported to a sharps container to be destroyed.

 

Thoracentesis Trays with Safety Components

Thoracentesis, sometimes known as a pleural tap is an invasive procedure to remove fluid or air from the pleural space for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. A local anesthetic is inserted into the injection site.  A hollow needle is carefully introduced into the thorax where fluid or air is removed.  There are thoracentesis trays that feature safety components to minimize the sharps injiuries and bloodborne  pathogen exposure.

  • ARGYLE™ TURKEL™ Safety Fluid Drainage System Procedure Trays with Safety Components, ARGYLE™ TURKEL™ Safety Thoracentesis System,
    CURITY™ Thoracentesis Tray with Safety Components; Covidien;  www.kendallcriticalcare.com/criticalcare 

  • The Safe-T-Centesis™ Drainage System; Cardinal Health; www.cardinal.com

 

Tissue Grinding Systems

Disposable Tissue Grinder Systems provide a disposable system that requires no clean-up or sterilization required after grinding and contains any aerosolization created during grinding.

 

Topical Anesthetic Device

Topical anesthetic devices provide a local analgesia that numbs the skin prior to the administration of superficial dermatological procedures such as venipuncture (drawing blood with a needle from a vein usually in the forearm), intravenous cannulation (administration of fluids and/or medications), and laser ablation (high power laser pulses) of superficial skin lesions. Some of the topical anesthetic devices use an active transdermal delivery technology known as iontophoresis, which administers medications through the skin via a mild electric current. This allows for the administration of medication including anesthetics through the skin.

 

Tourniquet, Latex-free

Using a latex-free tourniquet on only one patient followed by its disposal reduces the spread of nosocomial infection.  It can also reduce the risk of cross-contamination between patients and healthcare workers.  It also helps your organization be in compliance with OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard.

Transfer Fluid Devices

It is often necessary to transfer fluids from one container to another to dilute, reconstitute or add drugs.

  • EZ Wing Vial Access Plastic Cannula; Inviro Medical, www.inviromedical.com

  • FDC 1000 with Luer-lock connections on both ends, Transofix® bag set port transfer product, Ecoflac® Mix Vial Adapter, MAT 4100 Multiple same-volume fluid transfers, MAC 1001 Multiple same-volume fluid transfers; B Braun, www.bbraunusa.com

  • MixJect™ (One-piece preparation of powder drugs to be reconstituted by a diluent prefilled syringe), Mix2Vial™ (Dual-sided device that allows rapid transfer of the diluent into vacuum powder vials), Vial2Bag™ needleless system (reconstitution and transfer of a drug between a vial or syringe and any solution-filled IV bag), Vial adapters (transfer from vials); Needleless Transfer Device (rapid transfer of diluent into vials), Clip’n’Ject®  (reconstitution of lyophilized injectable drug products in point-of-care settings), Ampoule adapters (aspiration of diluent from a glass ampoule without the use of a needle); West Pharmaceuticals, www.westpharma.com

  • MONOJECT™ ANGEL WING™ Multi-Sample Transfer Sets-Female; Covidien, www.kendallsharpssafety.com 

  • Rapid Fill ™ connectors; Baxa, www.baxa.com

 

Tuberculin Syringe

A Tuberculin syringe will only hold up to 1 ml. It is very useful and appropriate for measuring any amount equal or less than one ml.

  • BD Integra™ Syringe, BD SafetyGlide™ Syringe for TB, BD Safety-Lok™ Syringe,  BD PrecisionGlide™ Needle; BD, www.bd.com

  • InviroSNAP!® Safety TB Syringes; Inviro Medical, www.inviromedical.com

 

Tube Stopper Remover

When removing the stopper from blood and specimen tubes it is not uncommon to aerosolize the sample or receive a splash when the stopper comes out of the tube. Stopper remover's are designed to remove rubber stoppers and reduce blood-borne pathogens exposure.

 

Tympanocentesis Speculum

Tympanocentesis is defined as the drainage of fluid from the middle ear by using a small gauge needle to puncture the tympanic membrane or eardrum. Newer technologies provide a safe method for protecting both patient and clinician from accidental needle stick injuries.

  • CDT® Speculum (Channel Directed Tympanocentesis™ Speculum) for use as an otoscopic accessory for tympanocentesis; Wall Precision Instruments LLC, www.tympanocentesis.com

 

Umbilical Catheter Tray with Safety Components

Umbilical catheters allow the continuous blood pressure monitoring of a neonate while maintaining the ability to administering medications, volume expanders and antibiotics. The use of safety components in a kit protect both clinician and patient.

  • General Procedure Catheterization Trays with safety components; Utah Medical Products Inc., www.Utahmed.com

  • Vygon Umbilical Procedure Tray with safety components; Vygon USA, www.vygonusa.com

     

Umbilical Line Draw

Umbilical Line Draw allows for blood sampling directly from the umbilical cord or an arterial line.

 

Urine Sampling and Collection

Sometimes it is necessary to obtain a urine sample from a drainage bag. There are products that have needleless urine sampling ports and only require a standard lower slip tip syringe with no needle. In addition there are other products that can obtain urine samples without involving a sharp.

 

Vascular Access Kits with Safety Components

Kits providing safety products that help minimize the risk of sharps injuries associated with gaining vascular access.

 

Vascular Visualization

New technologies are now available that allow physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals to visualize veins through the skin allowing access to the vasculature without multiple sticks.  This can prevent needlestick injuries by reducing the number of sticks necessary to achieve vascular access.

 

Vial Access Adapters

The standard method of withdrawing fluid from a medicine vial unnecessarily exposes healthcare workers to needlestick injuries. This is typically done by pushing a needle into the rubber stopper of the vial and turning the vial upside down.  Air is injected into the vial. The syringe plunger is withdrawn pulling medicine into the syringe.  After removing any unwanted air the syringe is used to make an injection.  Newer devices eliminate the needle and allow withdrawal of medicine directly into the syringe without exposing healthcare workers to needlestick injuries.

 

Vial Holder

One of the challenges of removing medication from a vial is that someone has to hold the vial while a syringe and needle are directed toward their hand! A vial holder safely holds the vial in position while the needle and syringe are directed towards the rubber stopper.  No one is required to be in the line of fire any longer.

 

Winged Set for Blood Collection

Designed for safe access to the vasculature, Safety Winged Sets for Blood collection allow for access to a patient's vasculature while protecting the clinician following removal from patient's vein.

 

Winged Set for Infusion

Designed for safe access to the vasculature, Safety Winged Sets for infusion allow for access to a patient's vasculature while protecting the clinician following removal from patient's vein.

 

Wound Closure, Glue

Cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive have been used for years to form a strong bond across apposed wound edges, allowing normal healing to occur below. It canbe used to replace sutures that are for incisional or laceration repair. This adhesive has been shown to save time during wound repair, to provide a flexible water-resistant protective coating and to eliminate the need for suture removal.

 

Wound Closure, Other

After using metal skin staples to close an incision or laceration the metal staples had to be removed post-operatively creating accidental sharps injury opportunities.  New skin closure technologies exist where an absorbable skin staple is used that has the rapid closure times associated with metal skin staplers, while eliminating the need for metal staple removal post-operatively.

 

Wound Closure, Tape

Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes have been used for closing minor wounds or covering abrasions for a number of years. In some instances, microporous or breathable, pressure-sensitive tapes have been developed and are used to cover minor wounds or wounds that have been partially healed. At times such tapes have been used in conjunction with sutures to close major wounds. In other cases the wound is initially closed with sutures or staples which are removed a few days after surgery and the wound is then supported or reinforced with surgical tape. Such a practice allows drainage of the wound and very often improves the cosmetic results of the surgery.

 

Wound Closure Technologies

New technologies for sealing tissues that supplement or replace traditional methods of wound closure. These alternate technologies include taping systems, synthetic super glues, energy-based modalities capable of melding tissues together and a variety of alternative technologies that can replace traditional sutures and staples.

 

Wound Irrigation

Wound irrigation has typically been accomplished with a syringe and a hypodermic needle to generate the 8-12 psi fluid stream that is recommended for cleaning out wounds. This standard method, unfortunately, also showers the clinician with splashed irrigation fluid that is contaminated with the patient’s blood. This presents an unacceptable exposure to mucocutaneous splashes and the potential of an accidental needlestick from the hypodermic needle. New systems can quickly deliver irrigation solutions that can adequately cleanse the wound without the use of a needle.

 

Wound Irrigation Basin

It is important to capture blood and irrigating fluid when cleansing a wound. Safety products are available that retain fluid run off so that it does not contaminate the healthcare worker and others.

Author’s Note: Even with months of preparation, this list is incomplete but the author believes that it contains more safety products and categories than has previously been assembled in one list. The intent is to include all safety products that are currently available in the marketplace.  The author is indebted to those that have provided information on safety products.

Note: This list is copyrighted by ISIPS and may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the author. Please contact the author to add additional company and product names at info@isips.org.

© 2009 ISIPS, International Sharps Injury Prevention Society and Ron Stoker

List last updated November 12, 2009

Are you aware of a sharps safety product or service that should be added to this safety list?   If so, please send information to info@isips.org

LATEST NEWSLETTER
Click to view latest Newsletter
Click to view Newsletter Archive
SIGN UP
Sign up for the weekly ISIPS Newsletter  - just click "Sign Up" below and you will be directed to the email database

Helpful  Web Pages

 

 

© 2011 ISIPS
Site Map  |  Contact