Are Ampoule Injuries Impacting the Safety in Your HealthCare Facility?

While needlestick and scalpel injuries often take centre stage, a silent threat persists: ampoule injuries. Shockingly common, yet frequently overlooked, these incidents can lead to significant disruptions and potential harm.

Beyond the immediate risk to healthcare professionals, these ampoule cuts lead to lost time, potential litigation, and decreased productivity. Here are a few important things to know about ampoule injuries:

Statistics

• • Ampoule injuries constitute a substantial proportion of sharps injuries within the healthcare workforce. Epidemiological data indicates that approximately one in three healthcare workers report experiencing at least one ampoule injury during their career.
  • Extrapolating this statistic to the United States alone, with its approximately 12 million healthcare workers, suggests that up to 4 million individuals may have sustained at least one preventable ampoule injury during the course of their careers.
  • Studies have shown that ampoule injuries account for up to 42% of all reported sharps injuries, with even higher prevalence rates observed in specialized settings such as anaesthesia practice, where reported injury rates exceed 54%.

Clinical Implications

• • Ampoule-related lacerations can result in severe physical trauma, including tendon severance, necessitating surgical intervention and prolonged rehabilitation.
  • Beyond physical injury, these incidents can induce significant psychological distress, including anxiety and diminished professional confidence.
  • The breach of skin integrity associated with ampoule injuries presents a heightened risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, particularly in high-risk environments such as operating theatres.
  • Furthermore, lacerations sustained during ampoule opening may result in the contamination of drug solutions with blood, rendering them unusable and potentially posing a risk to patient safety.
  • The generation of glass shards during ampoule breakage presents additional hazards, including the risk of ocular injury and the potential for unintended introduction of foreign bodies into parenteral solutions.

Limitations of Traditional Practices

• • Traditional methods of attempting to mitigate ampoule injuries, such as wrapping the ampoule neck with gauze or paper towels, have demonstrated limited efficacy and may create additional hazards, such as increased risk of shattered glass and difficulty in proper disposal.

The Solution

The good news is that Qlicksmart’s SnapIT Ampoule Openers are designed with a focus on safety, aiming to minimize the risks. These were invented by an Australian nurse to help reduce cuts when opening glass ampoules. Here’s a breakdown of their key benefits:

• • Reduced Risk of Sharps Injuries:
    • The primary advantage is the significant reduction in the risk of cuts and lacerations. The design keeps hands away from the breaking point of the glass.
    • This helps prevent common injuries caused by shattered glass or sharp edges.
  • Prevention of Contamination:
    • By providing a controlled breaking action, SnapIT helps minimize the risk of glass shards contaminating the medication within the ampoule.
    • This ensures that medications remain safe for patient use.
  • Increased Safety and Confidence:
    • The use of these openers can reduce anxiety and increase confidence among healthcare professionals when handling ampoules.
    • This contributes to a safer and more efficient work environment.
  • Improved Efficiency:
    • The design allows for a quick and clean break, streamlining the medication preparation process.
  • Variety of options:
    • Qlicksmart offers different versions of the SnapIT, such as the SnapIT Lite, made of lightweight plastic, the autoclavable aluminium versions, and trolley versions that help prevent the SnapIT from rolling off the bench. This allows health care professionals to choose the correct model for their specific needs.
  • Reduction of waste:
    • By minimizing contamination, SnapIT helps prevent wasted medication.

More and more ampoule users are using the Qlicksmart SnapiT Ampoule Opener. These safety-engineered ampoule openers offer complete protection against ampoule injury. For enquiries, please email us at hello@qlicksmart.com.