Ouch! Stuck by a Needle … Again
Dr. Kelly's 4 rules for preventing sharps injuries.
O
ne of the most agonizing moments in surgery for me is the
dreaded needlestick. Yes, after 26 years of doing this most
wonderful of vocations, I still experience surgical misadven-
tures whereupon I pierce my integument with a pointed object,
already bathed in the patient's bodily fluids.
Essentially bodily punctures are the result of a momentary lapse of
concentration, where the surgeon, nurse or tech simply forgets that
there is a sharp object in the vicinity.
Most surgeons possess at least a small measure of ADHD. That is why
we all love to operate. The thrill of surgery fulfills our need for stimula-
tion. Problem is, when the excitement of reducing the rotator cuff tear
totally occupies our attention, there is simply little room for awareness
of neighboring sharp objects.
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Cutting Remarks
John D. Kelly IV, MD