Injection Safety
What is 'Injection Safety'?
According to World Health Organization (WHO), a safe injection does not harm the recipient, does not expose the provider to any avoidable risks, and does not result in waste that is dangerous for the community. Injections are one of the most frequently used medical procedures to administer drugs, but unsafe practices can transmit various bloodborne pathogens and harm the patient and/or the healthcare worker. The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) is collaborating with partners to educate about injection safety to keep healthcare workers and patients safe.
-
Household Needle Disposal
Learn more about safe disposal of needles in Indiana -
Insulin Pen Safety
Learn more about safe insulin injections -
Botox Injection Safety
Learn more about safe botox injections -
Fertility Injection Safety
Learn more about safe fertility injection practices -
Cancer Treatment
Learn more about safe cancer treatment at home -
Sanitary Operations of Tattoo Businesses
Learn more about Indiana's regulation on tattoo and body piercings
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's One & Only Campaign
The One & Only Campaign is a public health effort to eliminate unsafe medical injections. Led by CDC and the Safe Injection Practices Coalition (SIPC), the campaign seeks to raise awareness among patients and healthcare providers about safe injection practices, which are critical to the overall safety of healthcare delivery. Unsafe injection practices put patients and healthcare personnel at risk of disease transmission, including bacterial infections like MRSA or bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis C virus.
For more information please visit CDC's webpage on Preventing Unsafe Injection Practices
Myth Versus Truth
Truth
Both needle and syringe are considered contaminated, and new sterile needle and sterile syringe should be used.
Myth
Changing the needle makes the syringe safe for reuse.
Truth
The IV tubing, syringe, and other components represent a single interconnected unit and should never be reused.
Myth
Syringes can be reused if the injection is administered through IV tubing.
Truth
Germs such as hepatitis C virus and MRSA are invisible to the naked eye, but can easily infect patients even when present in microscopic quantities.
Myth
If you don’t see blood, it’s safe to reuse.
Truth
Single-dose or single-use items should not be used for more than one patient.
Myth
Its okay to use left over medication from single use vials for more than one patient.
Truth
Most multi-dose vials that are intended for several medication administrations have a preservative in them that prevents bacterial growth. Single-use vials do not contain a preservative. These preservatives have no effect on viruses.
Myth
All medication vials have preservatives in them that prevent contamination.
Truth
Since 2001, discovery of unsafe injection practices, have prompted nearly 200,000 patients to seek testing for bloodborne pathogens.
Myth
Unsafe injection practices do not commonly cause transmission of infection.
Resources for Patients
General Resources
- Safe Injection Practices | Injection Safety | CDC
- Preventing Unsafe Injection Practices Safe | Injection Safety | CDC
- Indiana Department of Environmental Management - Needle Disposal PDF
- Indiana Department of Environmental Management - Household Needles and Sharps
- SafeNeedleDisposal.org - Container Options for Used Sharps
Resources for Insulin and Glucose Monitoring
Resources for Healthcare Workers
World Health Organization (WHO)
- WHO Guidelines for Injections in Healthcare Settings
- How to give a safe injection- 5:02 min (2017) https://youtu.be/nzv4wkQkqQo
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles
- Injection practices among clinicians in United States health care settings
- A survey of physician and nurse knowledge, attitudes, and practices around injection safety
United States Pharmacopeia (USP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Project Firstline
- Multi-Dose Vaccine Vial Injection Safety Tips- 3:35 min (2021) https://youtu.be/RDH5UH8M07c
- Drug Diversion
Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Quality Collaboration
Page last reviewed and updated: September 2024