INFLUENCED BY THE MOMENTUM OF THE FEDERAL HEALTH CARE WORKER NEEDLESTICK PREVENTION ACT INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS IN MAY, INFUSION THERAPY MANUFACTURERS HAVE SAFETY ON THEIR MINDS THESE DAYS. THE RESULT? MORE AND MORE PRODUCTS ARE BEING DESIGNED TO DECREASE THE RISK OF NEEDLESTICKING AND THE TRANSMISSION OF INFECTIONS.

"In home care, you've got factors that can be a threat to the caregiver like low lighting, relatives and children," says Craig Bell, director of research and development for MedCare Medical Group, East Swanzey, N.H. To prevent the possibility of needlesticking, his company has developed the HuberLoc, a single-use disposable device designed to extract the Huber needle from an I.V. and lock it inside a protective plastic housing for safe disposal. It works, he says, by sliding onto or over the wings of the Huber needle. The needle is pulled from the port, the HuberLoc clicks into place, and the caregiver disposes of the used needle. "It gets rid of the 'rebound' reflex where the possibility of needlesticking often occurs," Bell says.

Another product geared toward safety is the I.V. House intravenous site protector. Nurses have long created makeshift covers for the I.V. site from plastic cups, according to Betty Rozier, president of I.V. House, Hazelwood, Mo. Lawsuits have resulted related to injuries to children who have been injured by cut-up cups with taped edges, she says. To prevent such injuries and infections as well, her company created a soft plastic shield for covering a PRN heparin lock.

But safety isn't the only product driver for manufacturers. "As the infusion therapy market continues to grow within home health care practices, there will be a greater need for products and services that provide convenience and quality," says Greg Salario, vice president of sales and marketing for Sharps Compliance, a Houston-based company specializing in management of medical waste and infusion equipment. "Home care practitioners need efficient equipment that promotes quality care and cost-effective operations."

Following is a sample of infusion products.