Why do healthcare workers suffer so many needle stick injuries? It is so traumatic for those affected. When the potential effects of life-changing consequences are so high, why is the risk not managed more effectively? The recommended disposal method is the sharps bin – a bucket with a slot in the lid! This means that the risk is not eliminated after use. As nearly 50% of all sharps injuries occur after use, it was time to do something about it!
Ady Nunn knew there was a better way. The key to preventing needle stick injuries after use is to eliminate the risk. Simple. The problem was quantified, then all that’s needed was a solution! Working through various concepts, the solution had to be simple. If it were complex then adoption would be difficult. It must be easy to use, be easy to transport safely and offer no risk to healthcare workers or patients.
The bucket has to go. Because the sharps bin has the open top, everything but sharps gets put in there! Only 4% of the contents is sharps, the rest is general waste. That’s an expensive method to dispose of clinical waste that could just be put in a bag and save the NHS a lot of money.
From a safety standpoint, this is a problem as it hides the risk presented by the needle. You just can’t see it. The expression ‘looking for a needle in a haystack’ has particular meaning here. Take a look at the image. Can you see the needle in the sharps bin?
It also needed to meet specific safety requirements such as BS EN 23907 before we could launch it. Getting feedback was critical so we spoke to as many potential users as possible. What did they like about it? How could we improve it? What about the size? Should it be bigger or smaller? Where are the main applications? We combined the user insights with industry guidelines and our own requirements to define our specification. We engaged with ergonomics specialists and our industrial and product designers set to work to incorporate all user feedback into the product.
The result? NeedleDock. A dedicated needle disposal system designed to eliminate the risk of needle stick injuries after use. The product has been developed in conjunction with healthcare workers. The patented system addresses the 87% of sharps injuries caused by needles and provides greater levels of safety to workers through a better disposal method.
We’re launching the product and brand at Future Healthcare 2019. Follow our story by following us on social media and drop me a message to discuss more on NeedleDock.
Chris