Receiving any procedure involving a needle from someone with proper injection training is really the only way to assure safety and good health. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has clearly outlined the risks associated with injections. These include bloodborne diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS. Each of these potentially deadly diseases can be contracted, even in healthcare settings, if proper procedures and protocols are not followed. What is interesting to note, is that cosmetic injections are commonly taught at a beauty school without any further medical training and sterilization certification required.
Estimates from the WHO report that annually 21 million people contract hepatitis B from unsafe injection practices. 2 million more people contract hepatitis C and 260,000 people more contract HIV/AIDS. People without proper injection training are more likely to reuse injection needles or to not dispose of waste appropriately and are at the highest risk for transmitting disease. Some troubling, but important, questions are then raised. They include: What are the differences between a "safe" and "unsafe" injection? Do these unsafe practices occur only in non-health care settings? And in order to make the majority of needle use safe, what would be required?
If the general public is to be exposed to the least amount of risk involving needles and injections, injection training becomes critical. The WHO clearly identifies "safe" and "unsafe" injection practices. "Safe" injections always include no risk of harm to recipient or administrator and waste resulting from the injections does not pose any danger to the community at large. Following the injections, any sharp equipment should be immediately placed in a puncture proof container and disposed of properly. If even one of these conditions is not fully realized, the injections are conditioned to be "unsafe."
Even those most trusted to perform injections (doctors, nurses and parmedical staff) in some instances have not received proper injection training. This is most common in developing countries. When safe practices are not followed, this is most often attributed to a lack of awareness of risk to patients and professionals rather then a desire to intentionally inflict harm. In communities where untrained, lay persons attempt to administer injections outside of the formal healthcare sector this problem is only exponentially compounded. Re-use of syringes is very common worldwide, generally involving individuals who lack formal training from a credible source, such as a medical or beauty school. This is often a rampant problem in developing countries because awareness is already lacking, there is a cultural resistance to waste when resources are already scarce, and lack of supplies and syringes make re-use seem appropriate.
Often times, healthcare workers mistakenly believe that injections are more effective then oral medications. In addition, injections often will bring an increased fee over oral medication use. This seems wrong, but it occurs all too commonly to be ignored. Making injections safe for all involves making sure that injections are not overused. Safety also includes changing community behavior and education as to proper techniques and practices, and more especially proper waste disposal methods. Equipment must readily be available to stop the practices of re-use of needles and syringes and waste disposal must be adequate and available.
If reports by the WHO are correct, it is increasingly clear that injection training, received somewhere other than a beauty school, is need to reduce risk of infectious diseases.
Estimates from the WHO report that annually 21 million people contract hepatitis B from unsafe injection practices. 2 million more people contract hepatitis C and 260,000 people more contract HIV/AIDS. People without proper injection training are more likely to reuse injection needles or to not dispose of waste appropriately and are at the highest risk for transmitting disease. Some troubling, but important, questions are then raised. They include: What are the differences between a "safe" and "unsafe" injection? Do these unsafe practices occur only in non-health care settings? And in order to make the majority of needle use safe, what would be required?
If the general public is to be exposed to the least amount of risk involving needles and injections, injection training becomes critical. The WHO clearly identifies "safe" and "unsafe" injection practices. "Safe" injections always include no risk of harm to recipient or administrator and waste resulting from the injections does not pose any danger to the community at large. Following the injections, any sharp equipment should be immediately placed in a puncture proof container and disposed of properly. If even one of these conditions is not fully realized, the injections are conditioned to be "unsafe."
Even those most trusted to perform injections (doctors, nurses and parmedical staff) in some instances have not received proper injection training. This is most common in developing countries. When safe practices are not followed, this is most often attributed to a lack of awareness of risk to patients and professionals rather then a desire to intentionally inflict harm. In communities where untrained, lay persons attempt to administer injections outside of the formal healthcare sector this problem is only exponentially compounded. Re-use of syringes is very common worldwide, generally involving individuals who lack formal training from a credible source, such as a medical or beauty school. This is often a rampant problem in developing countries because awareness is already lacking, there is a cultural resistance to waste when resources are already scarce, and lack of supplies and syringes make re-use seem appropriate.
Often times, healthcare workers mistakenly believe that injections are more effective then oral medications. In addition, injections often will bring an increased fee over oral medication use. This seems wrong, but it occurs all too commonly to be ignored. Making injections safe for all involves making sure that injections are not overused. Safety also includes changing community behavior and education as to proper techniques and practices, and more especially proper waste disposal methods. Equipment must readily be available to stop the practices of re-use of needles and syringes and waste disposal must be adequate and available.
If reports by the WHO are correct, it is increasingly clear that injection training, received somewhere other than a beauty school, is need to reduce risk of infectious diseases.
About the Author:
Learn more about injection training. Stop by Lucy Cho's site to learn about this and beauty school.
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