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Needlestick exposure: Reducing risk of HIV Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania assessed nurses' risk of HIV exposure from needlestick injuries and the factors impacting those risks. Over the 30-day study period, the researchers documented percutaneous injuries sustained by nurses on 40 units in 20 hospitals in cities with high AIDS rates. These prospective reports were compared with retrospective and institutional reports. Prospective and retrospective reports revealed similar rates of injuries, while instituhonal rates were significantly lower. Recapping needles and temporary work assignments were associated with increased injuries, while working in hospitals characterized by professional nurse practice models and taking precautions to avoid contact with blood were related to fewer injuries The authors found that needlestick injuries are not random and are more common than institutional reports suggest. They suggest, therefore, that to reduce risk of injury and infection, the frequency of needle recapping should be reduced, precautions should be increased, the use of temporary nurses should be reduced, and organizational changes should be implemented. (CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse 2/11/97)