Cochise County health clinic reviews protocols after nurse sustained sharps injury during vaccination

Rosa Pando, clinical lead for Cochise County Health Department clinics, reported to the Board of Health that a nurse received a sharps injury while administering a vaccine on April 28. Pando said the safety mechanism on the syringe obstructed administration and, when the patient moved, the needle nicked the nurse's left index finger; the nurse observed blood and followed clinic protocol.

Pando said the nurse notified supervisors and the medical director, completed a report of injury and was referred for laboratory testing and workers' compensation. The department arranged follow-up testing for infectious disease exposure and documented the incident.

"Education, for continued follow-up, education is going to be provided to ensure safety" Pando said, adding that clinical staff meetings will include sessions on sharps-injury prevention, correct syringe placement and the protocol for immediate follow-up, including whom to notify and how to document exposures. The department said it will also clarify procedures for voluntary release of patient infectious-disease information when an exposure involves a contaminated or "dirty" needle.

Medical director Dr. Eric McLaughlin described the event as an unfortunate but known risk of vaccine administration and said the incident will be used as a performance-improvement and education opportunity. "This was... bad luck," McLaughlin said, adding that staff concerns and fear after an exposure are common and deserve thorough attention.

Board members were told the exposure involved only the provider; no patient blood contact to others was reported. County staff said the incident followed the department's protocols and that further training and protocol reviews are planned at upcoming clinical-staff meetings.