Occupational Sharps and Needlestick Injuries Among Physician Residents at an Academic Medical Center

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Healthcare Safety
• Injury Epidemiology

Background:

• Occupational sharps and needlestick injuries (SNSI) represent a persistent safety challenge within U.S. healthcare settings.
• Understanding the factors contributing to these injuries is crucial for protecting healthcare workers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and contributing factors of sharps and needlestick injuries (SNSI) among physician residents and nurses.
• To compare injury rates between these two critical healthcare professional groups at an academic medical center.

Main Methods:

• A two-component study was conducted, involving retrospective analysis of injury data and a cross-sectional survey.
• Injury data from 58 nurses and 63 medical residents were analyzed.
• A survey assessed SNSI prevalence, underreporting, and contributing factors among 76 physician residents.

Main Results:

• Physician residents sustained sharps and needlestick injuries (SNSI) at a rate of 11.0 per 100 residents annually, compared to 3.2 per 100 nurses annually—a threefold higher rate.
• The highest SNSI rates were reported by physician residents in neurosurgery, otolaryngology, OB/GYN, and general surgery.
• The study identified a significant disparity in injury rates between physician residents and nurses.

Conclusions:

• The findings indicate a substantially higher risk of sharps and needlestick injuries for physician residents compared to nurses.
• Further research is essential to pinpoint injury drivers within specific environments, such as the operating room.
• Implementing targeted safety interventions is necessary to mitigate these occupational hazards.