Occupational Exposure to Blood and Other Body Fluids Among Health Care Workers at a University Hospital in Iran

Abstract

Occupational exposure to sharp items or body fluid splash is a hazard for health care personnel via transmission of blood-borne viruses through such exposures. To determine the occurrence of needlestick injuries and other high-risk exposures among health care workers at a hospital in Iran, data collected for 2 years were reviewed. During this period, 171 occupational exposures were self-reported. Approximately 20% of all exposed personnel were men and 80% were women. One hundred twenty-six (74%) of the exposed personnel had needlestick injuries, 13 (8%) had sharp instrument injuries, and 32 (19%) had mucosal contact with potentially infectious fluids. Thirty-two percent of injuries occurred during or after sharp instrument disposal and 67% during operative procedures. Appropriate blood tests were performed for 55 (32%) and postexposure prophylaxis was administered to 31 (18%) of the exposed personnel.

Occupational Exposure to Blood and Other Body Fluids Among Healthcare Workers in Three Teaching Hospitals, Southeast Iran

“…For instance, a study on BBF exposure among HCWs in a hospital in Iran found that 82% of the hospital staff had NSIs and sharp instrument injuries, and 19% had mucosal contact with BBFs. Approximately one-third of these injuries occurred during or after sharp instrument disposal, and the rest occurred during operative procedures (16). A similar study that was carried out in hospitals in Tehran reported that more than 40% of HCWs had sustained NSIs in the previous year, and nurses accounted for the majority of the identified cases (15).…”

“…The most common types of exposures are NSIs, followed by sharp instrument injuries and mucosal contact with potentially infectious fluids (16). The majority of the exposures take place during operative procedures and during or after sharp instrument disposal, especially recapping used syringes (8,16).…”

“…The majority of the exposures take place during operative procedures and during or after sharp instrument disposal, especially recapping used syringes (8,16). The operation room, emergency ward, and ICU have the highest prevalence of NSIs (13).…”

The Effect of Training on the Notification of Sharp Instrument Injuries

“…Yaralanmalar en fazla iğne kapaklarının kapatıl-ması ve kullanılmış iğnelerin ortamdan uzaklaştırılması sırasında olmaktadır [2,9,[11][12][13] .…”

A vivência dos trabalhadores de Enfermagem que sofreram acidente com fluido biológico: um olhar fenomenológico

“…Um estudo realizado no Irã que analisou os dados referentes a 171 exposições apontou que 32 (19%) tiveram contato da mucosa com fluidos potencialmente infecciosos (Naderi et al,2012).…”