Abstract

Needle Stick Injuries (NSI) are wounds penetrated to the skin by needles which can lead to infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B, C, and Human Immunodeficiency virus. Objectives: To determine the student nurses' knowledge of NSI at a private nursing institute in Karachi. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 67 participants were recruited through the purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through a valid and reliable questionnaire from September to November 2022. Results: Study results showed that 41.8% of participants were males and 58.2% were females. The majority of the participants, 62.7%, were between 20-30 years of age and had an experience of 5-10 years. 62.7% of participants have taken the vaccine against the Hepatitis B virus. Around half (53.7%) of the participants were exposed to needle stick injuries (NSI) during clinical rotations. Knowledge results showed that 22.4% of nursing students had a good level of knowledge, 17.9% moderate, and 59.7% had a low level of knowledge regarding NSI. The association was found only between clinical experience and student nurses' knowledge. Conclusions: Based on the findings, high prevalence of NSI, a low level of knowledge of NSI among students, and a low immunization rate of the Hepatitis B vaccine. Therefore, the institute and hospitals should conduct educational training programs and workshops to increase the knowledge level of nursing students regarding NSI and an immunization drive against Hepatitis B to protect them from the deadly virus

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