Incidence of Needle Stick Injuries and Behavior After Injuries Among Nurses in Sulaimani Hospitals

Ramand Mohammed Haji; Sarko Masood Mohammed; Seerwan Hama Rashid Ali; Srwa Salih Mohammad

doi:10.54133/ajms.v6i1.603

Authors

Ramand Mohammed Haji Department of Nursing, Technical College of Health and Medical Technology, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5978-619X
Sarko Masood Mohammed Department of Anesthesia, Technical College of Health and Medical Technology, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Seerwan Hama Rashid Ali Department of Anesthesia, Technical College of Health and Medical Technology, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Srwa Salih Mohammad Department of Nursing, Technical College of Health and Medical Technology, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v6i1.603

Keywords:

Infection control, Needle stick injuries, Nurses behavior, Sulaimani city

Abstract

Background: Needle-stick injuries cause occupational health and safety challenges for healthcare workers on a global scale. Needle-stick injuries can potentially expose individuals to dangerous blood-borne pathogens. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of needle stick injuries and their main causes, as well as the nurse’s behavior after being injured by needle stick injuries. Methods: A self-reported cross-sectional study was conducted in Sulaimani city governmental and non-governmental tertiary hospitals in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The data was collected by constructing a questionnaire form from 300 nurses who provide medical care by non-probability convenience sampling from October 1, 2022, to March 1, 2023. Results: 74.3% of the 223 nurses who participated in the study experienced needle stick injuries. The needle syringe (88.7%) was the most common tool involved. The sterilization of wound area 48.9% was the number-ranked action of the nurses after injury, followed by pushing the injured area 28.4% to drain blood. Most of the nurses did not receive post-injury prophylaxes (57.4%) or send their blood to additional tests (73.1%). Conclusions: Syringe needles were a major cause of the needle sticks, which injured three out of four participants. Additionally, the nurses' top priority after receiving a needle stick was to sterilize the exposed portion of the wounds.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Senthil A, Anandh B, Jayachandran P, Thangavel G, Josephin D, Yamini R, et al. Perception and prevalence of work-related health hazards among health care workers in public health facilities in southern India. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2015;21(1):74-81. doi: 10.1179/2049396714Y.0000000096.

Pavithran VK, Murali R, Krishna M, Shamala A, Yalamalli M, Kumar AV. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of needle stick and sharps injuries among dental professionals of Bangalore, India. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent. 2015;5(5):406-412. doi: 10.4103/2231-0762.165932.

Mengistu DA, Tolera ST, Demmu YM. Worldwide prevalence of occupational exposure to needle stick injury among healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol. 2021;2021:9019534. doi: 10.1155/2021/9019534.

Berhan Z, Malede A, Gizeyatu A, Sisay T, Lingerew M, Kloos H, et al. Prevalence and associated factors of needle stick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in northwestern Ethiopia. PLoS One. 2021;16(9):e0252039. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252039.

Alfulayw KH, Al-Otaibi ST, Alqahtani HA. Factors associated with needle stick injuries among healthcare workers: implications for prevention. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021;21(1):1074. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-07110-y.

Mengistu DA, Dirirsa G, Mati E, Ayele DM, Bayu K, Deriba W, et al. Global occupational exposure to blood and body fluids among healthcare workers: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol. 2022;2022:5732046. doi: 10.1155/2022/5732046.

Isara A, Ofili A. Prevalence of occupational accidents/Injuries among health care workers in a federal medical centre in southern Nigeria. West Afr J Med. 2012;31(1):47–51. PMID: 23115096.

Ghasemi M, Khabazkhoob M, Hashemi H, Yekta A, Nabovati P. The incidence of needle stick and sharp injuries and their associations with visual function among hospital nurses. J Curr Ophthalmol. 2017;29(3):214-220. doi: 10.1016/j.joco.2017.06.001.

Tsegaye Amlak B, Tesfa S, Tesfamichael B, Abebe H, Zewudie BT, Mewahegn AA, et al. Needle stick and sharp injuries and its associated factors among healthcare workers in Southern Ethiopia. SAGE Open Med. 2023;11:20503121221149536. doi: 10.1177/20503121221149536.

CDC. What to do following a sharps injury? CDC; 2019. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nora/councils/hcsa/stopsticks/whattodo.html

Ishak AS, Haque MS, Sadhra SS. Needle stick injuries among Malaysian healthcare workers. Occup Med (London). 2019;69(2):99-105. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqy129.

Weldesamuel E, Gebreyesus H, Beyene B, Teweldemedhin M, Welegebriel Z, Tetemke D. Assessment of needle stick and sharp injuries among health care workers in central zone of Tigray, northern Ethiopia. BMC Res Notes. 2019;12(1):654. doi: 10.1186/s13104-019-4683-4.

Adib-Hajbaghery M, Lotfi MS. Behavior of healthcare workers after injuries from sharp instruments. Trauma Mon. 2013;18(2):75-80. doi: 10.5812/traumamon.12779.

Joukar F, Mansour-Ghanaei F, Naghipour M, Asgharnezhad M. Needle stick injuries among healthcare workers: Why they do not report their incidence? Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2018;23(5):382-387. doi: 10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_74_17.

Bekele T, Gebremariam A, Kaso M, Ahmed K. Factors associated with occupational needle stick and sharps injuries among hospital healthcare workers in Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia. PLoS One. 2015;10(10):e0140382. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140382.

Aziz AM. Do training and needle-safety devices prevent needle stick injuries? A systematized review of the literature. Br J Nurs. 2018;27(16):944-952. doi: 10.12968/bjon.2018.27.16.944.

Markovic-Denic L, Mihajlovic B, Cemerlic-Adjic N, Pavlovic K, Nicin S. The effect of training program to reduce needle stick injuries. BMC Proc. 2011;5(6):217. doi: 10.1186/1753-6561-5-S6-P217.

Chaudhari U, Raghuvanshi VS, Singh S, Nischal A, Singh S. A cross-sectional study to see the incidence of needle prick injury amongst health care workers in a tertiary care hospital. Int J Sci Res Pub. 2014;4(2):1-3.

Bazie GW. Factors associated with needle stick and sharp injuries among healthcare workers in North East Ethiopia. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2020;13:2449-2456. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S284049.

Dayyab FM, Iliyasu G, Ahmad BG, Bako AT, Ngamariju SS, Habib AG. Hepatitis B vaccine knowledge and self-reported vaccination status among healthcare workers in a conflict region in northeastern Nigeria. Ther Adv Vaccines Immunother. 2020;8:2515135519900743. doi: 10.1177/2515135519900743.

Issa A, Ayoola YA, Abdulkadir MB, Ibrahim RO, Oseni TIA, Abdullahi M, et al. Hepatitis B vaccination status among health workers in Nigeria: a nationwide survey between January to June 2021. Arch Public Health. 2023;81(1):123. doi: 10.1186/s13690-023-01142-y.

Solmaz M, Solmaz T. Experiences with needle-stick and sharp object injuries for healthcare workers in a State Hospital in Tokat Province, Turkey. Int J Occup Hygiene. 2017;9(3):142-148.

Kebede A, Gerensea H. Prevalence of needle stick injury and its associated factors among nurses working in public hospitals of Dessie town, Northeast Ethiopia, 2016. BMC Res Notes. 2018;11(1):413. doi: 10.1186/s13104-018-3529-9.

Jahangiri M, Rostamabadi A, Hoboubi N, Tadayon N, Soleimani A. Needle stick injuries and their related safety measures among nurses in a University Hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Saf Health Work. 2016;7(1):72-77. doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2015.07.006.

Paudel BK, Karki K, Dangol L, Guragain AM. Incidence of needle stick injury among proficiency certificate level nursing students in Kathmandu, Nepal. Int J Sci Technol Res. 2013;9:277-281.

Abebe AM, Kassaw MW, Shewangashaw NE. Prevalence of needle-stick and sharp object injuries and its associated factors among staff nurses in Dessie referral hospital Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2018. BMC Res Notes. 2018;11(1):840. doi: 10.1186/s13104-018-3930-4.

Sriram S. Study of needle stick injuries among healthcare providers: Evidence from a teaching hospital in India. J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;8(2):599-603. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_454_18.

Small L, Pretorius L, Walters A, Ackerman MJ. A surveillance of needle-stick injuries amongst student nurses at the University of Namibia. Health SA Gesondheid. 2011;16(1):1-8. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v16i1.507.

Alsabaani A, Alqahtani NSS, Alqahtani SSS, Al-Lugbi JHJ, Asiri MAS, Salem SEE, et al. Incidence, knowledge, attitude and practice toward needle stick injury among health care workers in Abha City, Saudi Arabia. Front Public Health. 2022;10:771190. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.771190.

Balouchi A, Shahdadi H, Ahmadidarrehsima S, Rafiemanesh H. The frequency, causes and prevention of needle stick injuries in nurses of Kerman: A cross-sectional study. J Clin Diagn Res. 2015;9(12):DC13-15. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2015/16729.6965.

AlDakhil L, Yenugadhati N, Al-Seraihi O, Al-Zoughool M. Prevalence and associated factors for needlestick and sharp injuries (NSIs) among dental assistants in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Environ Health Prev Med. 2019;24(1):60. doi: 10.1186/s12199-019-0815-7.

Sharma R, Rasania S, Verma A, Singh S. Study of prevalence and response to needle stick injuries among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, India. Indian J Community Med. 2010;35(1):74-77. doi: 10.4103/0970-0218.62565.