Purpose of the International Sharps Injury Prevention Society
The International Sharps Injury Prevention Society (ISIPS) has been formed to reduce the number of accidental sharps injuries that occur globally by promoting the use of safety-engineered products and services. ISIPS is an international group of medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers, health organizations, healthcare professionals, medical waste disposal experts and others that are joining forces to provide education, information, and product knowledge that will help reduce the number of sharps injuries that occur each year.
ISIPS provides the latest information on needlestick injuries, sharps injuries, the challenges of HIV, Hepatitis and AIDS that challenge healthcare, waste management, custodial workers and law enforcement personnel.
ISIPS promotes the services and products that encompass the entire universe of safety products from modified sharps to alternative products that actually eliminate the sharp. All of these safety products will continue to be essential weapons in the battle against accidental sharps injuries because, unfortunately, not all sharps can be eliminated by newer technologies.
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We frequently conduct and promote a variety of activities that promote sharps safety. These activities include:
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Annual International Sharps Injury Prevention Awareness Month held in December of each year.
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Sharps Injury Prevention Award that is given to recipients that have made outstanding achievements in needlestick reduction each year.
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Participation in the Needlestick Prevention Tour seminars that provide outreach programs to state hospital associations, local APIC chapters, and large hospital systems.
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Provide presentations at national and international safety conferences.
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Provide articles for a number of infection control and clinician-focused medical journals.
MISSION
Reducing Needlestick Injuries
We believe that a significant number of needlesticks and other sharps injuries can be reduced each year. ISIPS promotes safety-engineered products and services that will meet this goal of preventing percutaneous injury and exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
In addition, ISIPS takes the most current information available and disseminates it to healthcare workers, infection control managers, and other interested parties. The ISIPS newsletters are issued frequently with information concerning sharps injury news, emerging sharps prevention products and technologies, and the regulatory and legislative environment surrounding sharps injuries.
Objectives
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Promotes sharps injury prevention using a variety of methods including: ISIPS web site, ISIPS Newsletters, Today's Health News, press releases, articles in medical journals, etc.
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Communicates to the media, web sites and other outlets about the importance of sharps injury prevention, ISIPS, and the safety benefits of Society members' products and services.
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Recruits new members and other supporting organizations that strengthen the Society.
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Highlights innovations in medical technologies that reduces needlestick and other sharps injuries.
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Focus on the dissemination of information concerning sharps injury news, regulatory and legislative environments that impact health care workers, hepatitis, HIV, and other infection control issues.
Not Just a Problem for Healthcare Workers
Needlesticks and other sharps injuries are not a problem for healthcare workers alone! These injuries also affect law enforcement, corrections, waste management, and custodial workers. These workers also need to have protection from cuts, punctures and body fluid exposure.
Sharps Injuries to Law Enforcement and Correctional Officials
There were almost 25,000 inmates in federal and state custody in 1995 that were known to be infected with HIV. This number is continuing to grow by 36% per year. There is a high risk of accidental transmission of HIV through body fluid contact during routine law enforcement and correctional procedures. For this reason, a greater focus on reducing sharps injuries in this population is warranted.
