VUMC lauded for reducing sharps injuries
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been awarded a special commendation from the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) for reduction in sharps injuries.
The Occupational Health Clinic monitors sharps injuries and facilitates projects to improve safety based on injury patterns. Among the projects leading to the commendation were an effort to require safety devices from manufacturers on prefilled syringes, and additional training on the use of winged infusion set “butterfly” needles, which come with flexible tubing and are used in phlebotomy. Both projects led to a substantial reduction in the number of injuries.
The staff members cited in the commendation from John Winkler, the administrator of TOSHA, were Sherrie Foster from Pharmacy, Valerie Thayer, R.N., and Pat Kinman, R.N., F.N.P., from the Occupational Health Clinic, Pam Carney from Nursing Education, and Lorrie Pope and Teresa Dail from Medical Supply Sourcing.