Non-Hospital Based Registered Nurses and the Risk of Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the risk of blood and body fluid exposure among nonhospital based registered nurses (RNs) employed in New York State. The study population was mainly unionized public sector workers, employed in state institutions. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by a random stratified sample of members of the New York State Nurses Association and registered nurse members of the New York State Public Employees Federation. Results were reviewed by participatory action research (PAR) teams to identify opportunities for improvement. Nine percent of respondents reported at least one needlestick injury in the 12-month period prior to the study. The percutaneous injury (PI) rate was 13.8 per 100 person years. Underreporting was common; 49% of all PIs were never formally reported and 70% never received any post-exposure care. Primary reasons for not reporting included: time constraints, fear, and lack of information on reporting. Significant correlates of needlestick injuries included tenure, patient load, hours worked, lack of compliance with standard precautions, handling needles and other sharps, poor safety climate, and inadequate training and availability of safety devices (p<0.05). PAR teams identified several risk reduction strategies, with an emphasis on safety devices. Non-hospital based RNs are at risk for bloodborne exposure at rates comparable to hospital based RNs; underreporting is an important obstacle to infection prevention, and primary and secondary risk management strategies appeared to be poorly implemented. Intervention research is warranted to evaluate improved risk reduction practices tailored to this population of RNs.

Menstrual Disorders and their Influence on Low Back Pain among Japanese Nurses

“…Our current study suggests that reproductive symptoms and menstrual disorders may be having a significant impact on nurses' working lives. Although various employment-related factors are known to influence the development of LBP among nurses, considerable research effort has traditionally focussed on identifying physical hazards, such as needlestick injuries 78) , occupational violence 79) and so on. Nonetheless, increasing attention is now being paid to psychosocial factors in the nursing profession 6) as well as broader areas such as organizational climate within a nurses' workplace 80) .…”

Hospital Safety Climate, Psychosocial Risk Factors and Needlestick Injuries in Japan

“…Another study of medical residents also found that depressive symptoms were associated with NSI events 13) , while a Korean investigation revealed that HCW who had sustained an NSI experienced higher scores of depression and anxiety 42) . In the US, 15% of non hospital-based nurses reported being very adversely affected by environmental conditions at their workplace, with understaffing and feeling unappreciated being the most troubling 6) . Such findings help shed light on psychosocial risk factors as an increasing challenge for HCW in the new millennium 43) , and for these reasons, it is becoming increasingly clear that more attention needs to be directed towards holistic stress reduction techniques in the workplace.…”

Organizational Climate and Nurse Health Outcomes in the United States: A Systematic Review

“…In another study 29) , using a composite safety climate scale, this correlation was not noted. However, in several other needlestick studies examining risk factors, safety climate has repeatedly been found to be significantly associated with both risky behaviors and with blood/body fluid exposures [49][50][51][52] . These papers were not reviewed here since these were predominantly risk assessment studies and further, did not meet the inclusion criteria for this review.…”