Needle-Stick, Sharp Injuries, and Its Related Factors among Nurses of Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract

Background: Nurses are at risk of injuries caused by sharp instruments in hospitals. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of injuries due to sharp instruments and its relevant factors among nurses of Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah, Iran. Methods:This descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 258 nurses working at Imam Reza Hospital of Kermanshah, Iran, in 2013. The data collection measure was a researcher-made questionnaire, which its validity and reliability were verified. The obtained data were entered into SPSS, version 16 and were analyzed using the Chi-squared and ANOVA test at the significance level of P<0.05.Results: According to the findings, 73.3%(n=191) of nurses were exposed to sharp injuries at workplace. About 41.8% of cases occurred during the first year of nursing. Major injuries were caused by needle-sticks (73.3%) and then IV catheter (42.4%). About 43.5% of the observed injuries occurred while trying to recap the needle-sticks. Also, 38.52% of injured nurses performed the tests after injury screening, while 48.7% did nothing after being injured. Conclusion:With regard to the findings of this study, human and environmental factors are effective on these exposures and environmental factors are much effective than human factors. It seems necessary to train the personnel, observe general precautions, and change wrong behaviors namely needle re-capping.

Prevalence of needlestick injuries among nursing interns: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Medical sharp instrument injuries are one of the most common occupational injuries in nursing. A variety of blood-borne diseases can be transmitted via this method (24)(25)(26). Studies have shown that nurses are a high-risk group for medical sharp instrument injuries and bloodborne diseases.…”

Hepatitis B Vaccination Coverage and Its Associated Factors in Nurses of Imam Reza (AS) Hospital in Kermanshah

“…Among the healthcare staff, nurses are at greater risk due to their frequent contacts with the blood or secretions of the patients (Ganczak et al 2010). In a study by Abdi et al in 2013 in Kermanshah, it was observed that 73.3% of the studied nurses had experienced needle stick injury and 64% of these injuries had occurred in the past year (Abdifard et al 2015). It is clear that prevalence of hepatitis B infection can be reduced by general and specific prophylactic measures, including donor screening, use of disposable medical equipment, sterilization of reusable devices, providing educational programs for chronic virus vectors and vaccination to reduce transmission of the virus (Toska et al 2011).…”