Needlestick Injuries among Nurses

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Nursing Practice

Background:

• Needlestick injuries (NSIs) represent a significant occupational hazard for healthcare workers (HCWs).
• Documentation of blood-borne exposure risks among nursing personnel in Iran is limited.
• This study investigated the incidence of NSIs among nurses in Shahroud Imam Hossein Hospital, Iran.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of needlestick injuries (NSIs) in nurses.
• To identify common causes and circumstances of NSIs.
• To inform targeted prevention strategies for healthcare workers in Iran.

Main Methods:

• A self-administered questionnaire surveyed 180 nurses regarding NSIs over the preceding year.
• NSIs were defined as percutaneous injuries from needles, scalpels, or lancets.
• Data collected included injury incidence, causes, and hepatitis B vaccination status.

Main Results:

• The incidence of NSIs was 63.3% (114/180 nurses).
• The primary causes were recapping (32.4%) and needle manipulation (18.1%) with hollow-borne needles.
• A significant proportion of nurses (12.8%) were not vaccinated against Hepatitis B Virus (HBV).

Conclusions:

• Nurses in this Iranian hospital face frequent exposure to blood-borne pathogens via NSIs.
• High prevalence necessitates enhanced education on universal precautions (UP).
• Recommendations include implementing a surveillance system and an injury management center.