A comprehensive approach to percutaneous injury prevention during phlebotomy: results of a multicenter study, 1993-1995.

Objective: To examine a comprehensive approach for preventing percutaneous injuries associated with phlebotomy procedures.

Design And Setting: From 1993 through 1995, personnel at 10 university-affiliated hospitals enhanced surveillance and assessed underreporting of percutaneous injuries; selected, implemented, and evaluated the efficacy of phlebotomy devices with safety features (ie, engineered sharps injury prevention devices [ESIPDs]); and assessed healthcare worker satisfaction with ESIPDs. Investigators also evaluated the preventability of a subset of percutaneous injuries and conducted an audit of sharps disposal containers to quantify activation rates for devices with safety features.