Occupational blood and body fluids exposures in health care workers: Four-year surveillance from the Northern France network

The risk of accidental blood and body fluid (BBF) exposure is a daily concern for health care workers throughout the world, and various strategies have been introduced during the past decade to help reduce that risk. To assess the impact of multifocal reduction strategies introduced in hospitals affiliated with the Northern France network, we recently examined data from 4 years of BBF-exposure reports filed by network employees. A total of 7649 BBF exposures were reported by health care workers to occupational medicine departments in 61 hospitals. Nurses and nursing students accounted for 4587 (60%) of exposures, followed by nursesʹ aides and clinicians. Most (77.6%) of the reports were related to needlestick injury (NSI).