[Biological injuries in a hospital in Puglia: an observational study between nurses and nursing students]

Introduction. An injury caused by a biological agent is an event that causes damage to the health of the operator. Nursing is one of the most affected professions. Objectives. This study aims to analyze and quantify the injuries caused by exposure to biological agents among working nurses and students of the degree course in Nursing at the "F. Miulli" Regional General Ecclesiastical Body, located in Acquaviva delle Fonti, province of Bari, Italy. Methods. The retrospective study was carried out by collecting data from May 2019 to July 2019. The data were collected from the archive of biological accidents for the five-year period 2014-2018. The data collected was divided according to the professional category of the subject: whether it is a nurse-worker, or a nurse-student, enrolled in the Nursing course of the University of Bari Aldo Moro. Results. 249 injuries caused by biological agents were recorded, of which 69.1% were female and 30.9% were male. The operating units most involved are the medical branch departments (55.4%). The anatomical sites most affected are the upper limbs with 205 cases. Discussion. It is necessary to invest in training and refresher campaigns for nursing staff and nursing students in order to ensure the standards of effectiveness of the services provided and safety in providing them.