Patterns of Needlestick and Sharps Injuries Among Training Residents

Patterns of Needlestick and Sharps Injuries Among Training Residents Needlestick and sharps injuries (NSIs), a common occupational hazard for health care workers, are serious due to seroconversion risk. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 385 000 needlestick injuries occur annually among US hospital employees.1 Current research on residents is sparse and confl ic t ing. Needlestick and sharps injuries have been reported highest during the first postgraduate year (PGY),2-5 but studies have relied on self-reported data or a small sample of residents in single institutions. Other investigations have not found a pattern of NSIs by PGY level.6-8 This study systematically examined whether NSIs varied by PGY level and described patterns of NSIs among house staff.