Preventing needlestick injuries in Ontario’s acute care hospitals: Progress and ongoing challenges

In 2007, Ontario introduced a regulation to promote the adoption of safety-engineered needles for the prevention of needlestick injuries. However, needlestick injury declines in the province from 2004 to 2011 have not been substantial.  Ontario’s regulatory standard, designed to allow for local flexibility in the selection and implementation of these safety devices, relies heavily on the actions and conditions of regulated workplaces. In this plenary, Andrea Chambers shares findings on how implementation of the regulation played out at three acute-care hospitals.