Reduction of Needlestick and Sharp Injuries (NSSI) Through Implementation of Safety-Engineered Devices in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Needlestick and sharp injuries (NSSI) are significant occupational hazards among healthcare workers and increase the risk of transmission of blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).¹ A quality improvement (QI) project was conducted in a tertiary care hospital from January 2022 to December 2025 to reduce NSSI rates through implementation of safety-engineered devices and safer clinical practices. Interventions included the introduction of needle-free vacutainer-based blood collection systems, safety intravenous (IV) cannulas, prefilled sterile normal saline syringes, and safety-engineered needles. Regular staff training and monitoring of sharps handling practices were also carried out. NSSI cases reduced progressively from 15 cases in 2022 to 12 cases in 2023 and further to 5 cases each in 2024 and 2025. The project demonstrated that the use of safety-engineered devices along with continuous staff education significantly reduced occupational sharps injuries and improved healthcare worker safety.