Evaluation of the Factors Influencing Needle stick Injury And Bloodborne Pathogens among Healthcare Workers in Benue State University Teaching Hospital Makurdi, North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

It is well recognized that the danger of needle stick injuries and the blood-borne diseases they can cause is higher for healthcare professionals. In order to do this, a survey on the variables influencing blood-borne infections and needle stick injuries among medical personnel at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) in Benue State, North Central Nigeria, was carried out. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used as the methodology, and questionnaires were given to medical professionals at BSUTH in Makurdi, Benue State, including doctors, nurses, and medical laboratory scientists. Using a straightforward random sample method, the participants who fulfilled the inclusion requirements were chosen. Findings: The questionnaires were distributed to participants between the ages of 20 and 35. Of those, 190 (68.8%) were female, and 177 (64.10%) were single. The study’s findings also showed that 39% of the respondents were physicians. In addition, 74% of respondents had worked for less than five years, 13% for six to ten years, and a further 13% for ten years or more. The most reliable source of information for blood-borne infections (89.1%) and needle stick injuries (78.4%) was the Teaching Hospital. Of the 109 people who had needle stick injuries at that time, 84.4% had done so fewer than five times in the previous six months, and 4.6% had done so more than ten times. For the last six months, Tin. According to the results, 16.5% of the participants in this category suffered an intravenous insertion needle stick injury, 18.3% during an injection, and 60% while recapping a needle. Males were also found to have a greater frequency of needle stick injuries (66.3%) than females, with medical professionals and those with six to ten years of experience having the highest prevalence. However, medical lab scientists had a greater prevalence of blood-borne infections (20.7%). The outcome demonstrated negative opinions regarding blood-borne infections and needle stick injuries.