Epidemiological Features of Needle Stick Injuries among Nursing Staff

Injury with contaminated sharp devices like used needles is the great potential risk factor in nursing staff. Severity of infectious complications of these injuries demonstrated the value of prophylactic activities. To evaluate epidemiologic features of needle stick injuries and coverage of Hepatitis B vaccine among nursing staff in Bualisina hospital in Qazvin from march 2007 to march 2008. In this cross sectional descriptive study, data of needle stick injuries if staff was gathered by direct interview. For statistical analysis were used t student, chi square and Fisher exact test. P value above 0.05 was considered statistically significant. In this period among 172 nurses, 55 subjects experienced needle stick injuries (32%). There was no statiscaly relationship between needle stick injuries with educational level, gender, and related training courses; but there was a statiscaly relationship between the injuries and the number of continous shifts. Reporting the injury to the hospital supervisors was statiscaly significant in nurses who had university education. According to undesirable complications of needle stick injuries, it is considered to organize educational programs in order to decreasing continues shifts in nursing staff and emphasis major priority of prevention methods.