OCCURRENCE AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NEEDLE STICK INJURY IN NURSING STUDENTS

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Nursing Practice

Background:

• Needle stick injuries (NSI) pose a significant risk to healthcare workers, with nursing students often overlooked despite their high vulnerability during clinical duties.
• Existing research primarily focuses on medical students and established healthcare professionals, leaving a gap in understanding NSI among nursing students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of needle stick injuries (NSI) among nursing students.
• To assess the post-exposure measures taken by nursing students following NSIs.
• To evaluate the knowledge level of nursing students regarding needle stick injuries and their management.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted in North-East India involving 83 nursing students (4th year B.Sc. and 3rd year GNM).
• Data was collected through questionnaires on NSI occurrence, post-exposure actions, and knowledge about NSIs during clinical training.

Main Results:

• A high incidence of NSI was reported by 39.76% of students, with the majority occurring in the first year of study.
• Over half (54.54%) of NSIs were not reported, and only 15.15% of exposed students underwent blood investigations.
• A significant gap was observed in post-exposure measures and Hepatitis B immunization (only 69.69% immunized prior to injury).

Conclusions:

• Nursing students exhibit a high rate of needle stick injuries, characterized by under-reporting and insufficient knowledge of post-exposure protocols.
• There is a critical need for comprehensive, entry-level training on real-life procedures and the implementation of user-friendly reporting systems to mitigate NSI risks.
• Addressing these issues is essential for improving the safety and well-being of nursing students during their clinical education.