Are Intravenous (IV) devices used in the hospital today also safety-oriented, given that such devices merely screw into the IV ports? What about blunt-tipped needles for injection into the IV line?
This should be the case, since many accidental needlesticks still occur with IV needles and catheters that are inserted into the patient. Indeed, the federal mandate covers all IV catheters and SquareOne has already created a design for a Safety Catheter using its patented technology. There are needleless IV systems available that have not been universally adopted, mainly because of cost. Thus, needles are still very much used in IV applications and the OSHA mandate requires the use of safety devices in these applications, as well. It should be noted here that fluids (blood) can still travel up the IV lines to the ports and subsequently contaminate the needles. Thus, in changing that needle, needlestick injuries and subsequent infection from the patient can occur.
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