Just a quarter of interns use gloves for tests

JUST a quarter of interns at two Dublin-based teaching hospitals said they routinely wear gloves when taking blood, a study has found.

According to a report published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science, just eight (26%) of 31 interns surveyed in May 2010 said they always wore gloves during routine phlebotomy (blood taking).

Reasons cited for not wearing gloves included that they make it difficult to find the vein and that it was too time-consuming, although 29 (94%) said they wore gloves if the patient was considered “high-risk”.

The study also found:

* A third (10) of the interns surveyed re-sheath needles after use — increasing the likelihood of suffering a needle stick injury and infection.

* Eleven (35%) said they felt they had adequate training in phlebotomy prior to starting their internship.

* More opportunity to practice and a phlebotomy-specific course were cited as the main improvements needed.

In addition, eight (26%) interns said they had sustained a needle stick injury (NSI) within the first eight months of commencing their internship, with one NSI reported as having been “high risk”.

NSIs pose a risk to individuals working in a healthcare setting as they can be exposed to blood-borne viruses, such as hepatitis B and C and HIV.

Six of the interns reported their NSI, while two cited “low-risk transmission” as their reasons for not reporting their injuries.

Five of the NSIs were felt to have been preventable, occurring on average 18 hours into a shift between 12am and 8am.

According to non-consultant hospital doctor (NCHD) committee chairman, Dr Matt Sadlier, the findings of the study are an “accurate reflection” of practice patterns among junior doctors.

“It can be difficult to feel a vein with gloves on but there are ways and means around it.

“The issue of doctor working hours has disappeared off the political landscape, but as this study shows it is a matter of urgency to re-address it,” he said.