Sharps are basically the term used in the hospitals to describe any sharp object that can cut or puncture like a needle and a scalpel. What most people don’t know is that sharps has a very exclusive waste container where it’s stored safely and securely to avoid any potential puncture and cuts from it and despite the many efforts of various people trying to manage it, it kind of becomes a very challenging task. Why? Because even if there are safety measures being done many people particularly healthcare professionals gets punctured by shaprs.
The issue is not about getting punctured or gets cut from a used needle or a scalpel that is the least of the concern, the main concern is the dangers from those cuts and punctures. Say a patient has been diagnosed of HIV, a lab technician extracted some samples for some tests and got accidentally punctured because the waste container where he/she dropped the sharp had been punctured by the same needle that was dropped. Now there is this risk that the lab technician will potentially get a HIV as well because of that incident. Every year there are thousands of healthcare professionals that had been noted to have been punctured due to the improper waste management, practices and not to mention waste containers that are being provided for them. If you’re looking for a good waste container for your hospital, below are some of the things that you need to remember in getting a sharps waste container.
The waste container should have a big hole to drop the sharps: The waste container should have a big opening in them. Big enough that a person can drop the sharps with ease. In a hospital there is a fast phased area like the ER and if you’re there, it sure would help if your waste container is big enough to drop the sharps without you looking in them too much for good measure.
The waste container should have clear signs: The waste container should have clear signs on what should be put in them. It should have a big color code and a big bold letter that tells medical personnel even in lateral vision that it’s the sharps disposal container.
The waste container should be sturdy, thick and stable: A waste container should be sturdy, thick and stable, why? To avoid possible punctures, for it to be stable on a flat surface and to avoid spillage. For things that can potentially harm you it’s better to have an extra precaution than having a lesser one. There are very little risks in being too careful especially with safety.
Sharp disposal might be one of the most serious risks in a health care professional’s career and yet it still has some gray areas. You can’t always blame it on negligence because these people do spend a good amount of time training to be safe at all times, but what can they do if the process, the system and the waste containers themselves are hindering them to be safe. Daniels health has a solution not just with a waste container but also with the process, the system and by the way they do have some pretty good waste containers that have a checkmark on the things that are mentioned above.
