Safe, Sustainable and Affordable: a Needle Safety System

Abstract

Needle Stick Injuries (NSIs) are a significant occupational hazard for healthcare workers, exposing them to life-threatening pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C. Although safety-engineered devices have successfully reduced NSI rates in high-income countries, their high costs, limited adaptability, and environmental impact hinder their adoption in low- and middle-income countries.

This thesis addresses the need for a cost-effective, sustainable, and user-friendly needle safety system applicable to low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Nepal. The objective is to explore the solution space and propose an optimal blueprint for a needle safety system for this context, in order to provide the foundation for a novel needle safety system.

To achieve this, multiple design phases and a field trip are performed. The exploration of the solution space is guided through the elimination by aspects decision-making strategy through multiple design phases. The first started with conceptual strategies ought to solve the composed design brief; the remaining two strategies were translated into concepts that were ultimately developed into MVPs. Within this process, concepts were discontinued on the basis of the elimination by aspects method. This resulted in one efficient strategy. From this process, two effective devices employing the strategy are identified.

Validation trials in six Nepali hospitals demonstrated their effectiveness, usability, and acceptance among healthcare workers, emphasizing their potential to address the challenges faced. In addition, the field trip validated the problem analyses and underscored the need for such solutions. Both systems can meet the design requirements described and perform well in the performance metrics. The concepts provide a foundation for future development, marking a step toward safer, more affordable, and sustainable needle practices.

Future research should explore the market need for the proposed one-handed and handheld solutions. Finally, the proposed solutions can be optimized to lower force requirements and must be refined for large-scale production and ensure compliance with medical standards.