Short-term economic impact associated with occupational needlestick injuries among acute care nurses

Abstract

These data suggest substantial economic burden immediately following NI on a national and individual hospital level occurring among acute-care nurses treating patients with diabetes. Long-term treatment costs would add to the overall economic burden.

Costs of needlestick injuries and subsequent hepatitis and HIV infection

“…But the costs are below: (1) the medical costs for Parkinson's disease $7.3 billion 21 , (2) the costs of other categories of occupational injuries (back sprain, over $1100 million; and fractures, over $300 million) for HCWs 22 (2004) of which $28.6 million (44%) are medical costs. Our methodology differed substantially from Lee et al 6 . First, Lee et al 6 extrapolated a national estimate based upon a sample of 110 nurses with needlesticks who were caring for only diabetic patients.…”

“…lost production for HCWs physically, but not mentally, at the job 16 . Lee et al 6 report 79% of work-loss due to 'emotional distress and anxiety.' Our clinical judgment was that even for low-risk needlesticks, some reduced 'presenteeism' was likely.…”

“…To estimate medical costs-per-needlestick prior to treatment for infection we first calculated a mean from eight studies (six from a published literature review 5 and one each from WC Lee et al 6 and Shah et al 7 ) and second, combined the mean with information on source-patients from Orenstein et al 9 to generate six separate estimates. We used cost data from Orenstein et al 9 studies in the JM Lee et al 5 review and since it has the most detail on cost-per-disease and source-patient.…”

“…Hospitals, however, accounted for only 40.1% of employment within the healthcare sector in 2004 4 . The most thorough published literature review includes ranges for perperson costs of needlesticks, but our literature search found only one estimate of national total costs 5,6 . The national estimate by Lee et al 6 assesses immediate testing and related costs but gives less attention to long-term costs of treatment of subsequent infections.…”

“…The most thorough published literature review includes ranges for perperson costs of needlesticks, but our literature search found only one estimate of national total costs 5,6 . The national estimate by Lee et al 6 assesses immediate testing and related costs but gives less attention to long-term costs of treatment of subsequent infections. In our study, we estimate costs of needlesticks and subsequent infections from hepatitis B and C (HBV, HCV), and human immune-deficiency (HIV) among all healthcare workers (HCWs), including nonhospital-based workers, for 2004.…”