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Patient-days: a better measure of incidence of occupational bloodborne exposures.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Chen, LF; Sexton, DJ; Kaye, KS; Anderson, DJ
Published in: Am J Infect Control
September 2009

BACKGROUND: There is currently no accepted standard denominator to calculate and to report the incidence of occupational exposures to bloodborne pathogens (OEBBPs) in health care. METHODS: We performed a multicenter study of OEBBP injuries reported from 31 community hospitals in the southeastern United States from January 2003 to December 2006. A qualitative design was used to assess 4 commonly used denominators to calculate the incidence of OEBBP: patient-days; staffed beds; occupied beds and full-time employee equivalents (FTEs). Six criteria were used to assess the quality and suitability of each denominator as a standard method to calculate incidence of OEBBP. We also analyzed the correlation of hospital rankings produced by these 4 denominators. RESULTS: During 4 years of study, a total of 3375 occupational exposures were reported. Patient-days outperformed others as a denominator to calculate rates of OEBBP when judged by 6 predefined criteria. Data for staffed beds, occupied beds, and FTE were manually collected, infrequently reported, and often subject to missing data. Furthermore, FTE and staffed beds data also captured unoccupied beds and non-clinical employee data that were not associated with risk of OEBBP. CONCLUSION: Patient-days may be the most suitable and readily available denominator for standard reporting and benchmarking of incidence of OEBBP. Patient-days may be used as a standard method for comparing rates of OEBBP.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Am J Infect Control

DOI

EISSN

1527-3296

Publication Date

September 2009

Volume

37

Issue

7

Start / End Page

534 / 540

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Workload
  • Southeastern United States
  • Risk Factors
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Personnel, Hospital
  • Occupational Exposure
  • Occupational Diseases
  • Needlestick Injuries
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
  • Incidence
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Chen, L. F., Sexton, D. J., Kaye, K. S., & Anderson, D. J. (2009). Patient-days: a better measure of incidence of occupational bloodborne exposures. Am J Infect Control, 37(7), 534–540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2009.02.004
Chen, Luke F., Daniel J. Sexton, Keith S. Kaye, and Deverick J. Anderson. “Patient-days: a better measure of incidence of occupational bloodborne exposures.Am J Infect Control 37, no. 7 (September 2009): 534–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2009.02.004.
Chen LF, Sexton DJ, Kaye KS, Anderson DJ. Patient-days: a better measure of incidence of occupational bloodborne exposures. Am J Infect Control. 2009 Sep;37(7):534–40.
Chen, Luke F., et al. “Patient-days: a better measure of incidence of occupational bloodborne exposures.Am J Infect Control, vol. 37, no. 7, Sept. 2009, pp. 534–40. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2009.02.004.
Chen LF, Sexton DJ, Kaye KS, Anderson DJ. Patient-days: a better measure of incidence of occupational bloodborne exposures. Am J Infect Control. 2009 Sep;37(7):534–540.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Infect Control

DOI

EISSN

1527-3296

Publication Date

September 2009

Volume

37

Issue

7

Start / End Page

534 / 540

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Workload
  • Southeastern United States
  • Risk Factors
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Personnel, Hospital
  • Occupational Exposure
  • Occupational Diseases
  • Needlestick Injuries
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
  • Incidence